Tag: family

Celebrating Naw-Ruz with family in Thames Valley

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Naw-Ruz in Thames Valley Baha'is celebrate Naw-Ruz in 2012
Three generations of Baha'is celebrate Naw-Ruz together in 2012 in the Thames Valley.

Family is important to Bahá’ís throughout the world, so for three generations of Bahá’ís living in West Berkshire there was nothing better than getting together to celebrate Naw-Ruz.

All three generations of the same family, as well as their friends, celebrated the Bahá’í New Year by going out for a meal, then gathered together to continue the celebration with prayers, socialising and more food in Newbury.

Myra Erbenova said: “Naw-Ruz is a very important day for Bahá’ís everywhere. It symbolises new beginnings in all aspects of life. It’s the dawn of a new day for the whole of mankind and when we look forward to a united world.”

Most societies and cultures recognise the family as a necessary and fundamental unit, but many changes are occurring to threaten its well-being and the happiness of its members. Bahá’ís recognise the family is a microcosm of the world.

Myra said: “The family’s unity must be preserved if the unity and peace of our planet is to be realised.”

How did you spend Naw-Ruz? Send us your photos!

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Yesterday (Wednesday 21 March) saw Bahá’ís throughout the Thames Valley mark Naw-Ruz, the Bahá’í New Year’s Day. The festival is held on the spring equinox (March 21) and symbolises the new life of spring. It also marks the end of the Bahá’í Faith’s annual 19-day fast for adults. The 19-day fast – between sunrise and sunset – is essentially a period of meditation and prayer, of spiritual recuperation.

The Naw-Ruz is one of the nine holy days of the year when work is suspended. Observing Naw-Ruz takes different multi-cultural forms in the 120,000 places where Bahá’ís reside around the world. Many Bahá’ís mark the occasion with family and friends on Naw-Ruz – often these get-togethers are celebrations which will include readings of prayers from the Bahá’í scriptures, as well as music, dance and food.

How did you celebrate Naw-Ruz? Let us know who you are, whereabouts in the world you are and what you did, using the comment button below!  You can even send your Naw-Ruz photographs to susan@1bahai.org