Divine Springtime

Montreal, April 21, 2025 – The Bahá’ís of Montreal, their fellow believers around the world, and all those who join them in efforts to improve the world are beginning a twelve-day period of celebration on April 21: the Festival of Riḍván.

Riḍván, which means "paradise," will begin this year on April 21 and end on May 2. The Festival of Riḍván is the most sacred celebration in the Bahá’í calendar, which is currently in its 182nd year.

Two important events take place within the Bahá’í community during Riḍván:

• Celebrations:

  These include the commemoration of a historic event in the Bahá’í Faith—the public declaration of Bahá’u’lláh’s mission, which laid the foundation of the Bahá’í religion. This declaration took place in Baghdad between April 22 and May 3, 1863, in a garden known as the Garden of Riḍván, on the eve of his further exile to Constantinople.

‘I was but a man like others, asleep upon My couch, when lo, the breezes of the All-Glorious were wafted over Me, and taught Me the knowledge of all that hath been. This thing is not from Me, but from One Who is Almighty and All-Knowing. And He bade Me lift up My voice between earth and heaven, and for this there befell Me what hath caused the tears of every man of understanding to flow. ‘ Bahá’u’lláh

The despair of this exile was soon to be transformed into hope, for before leaving the surroundings of Baghdad, Bahá’u’lláh would announce to His companions what many had already suspected: that He was the great divine Educator promised in all the major monotheistic religions, and that He was the initiator of a new era in history—one in which the tyrannies and injustices of the past would give way to a world of peace and justice. The unequivocal proclamation of the “Divine Springtime” had arrived.

Bahá’u’lláh endured forty years of imprisonment, torture, and exile to bring humanity God’s most recent message. His life and mission are becoming increasingly well known around the world today.

The Festival of Riḍván takes place in the spring, a season when nature blooms again and offers us its wonders.

I have never aspired after worldly leadership. My sole purpose hath been to hand down unto men that which I was bidden to deliver by God, ‘ Bahá’u’lláh

The Divine Springtime is come, O Most Exalted Pen, for the Festival of the All-Merciful is fast approaching. Bestir thyself, and magnify, before the entire creation, the name of God, and celebrate His praise, in such wise that all created things may be regenerated and made new. Speak, and hold not thy peace. The day-star of blissfulness shineth above the horizon of Our name, the Blissful, inasmuch as the kingdom of the names of God hath been adorned with the ornament of the name of thy Lord, the Creator of the heavens. ‘ Bahá’u’lláh

This is the Day in which God's most excellent favors have been poured out upon men, the Day in which His most mighty grace hath been infused into all created things. It is incumbent upon all the peoples of the world to reconcile their differences, and, with perfect unity and peace, abide beneath the shadow of the Tree of His care and loving-kindness. ‘ Bahá’u’lláh

The fundamental purpose animating the Faith of God and His Religion is to safeguard the interests and promote the unity of the human race, and to foster the spirit of love and fellowship amongst men. ‘ Bahá’u’lláh

• Elections:

  Indeed, the Bahá'í Faith has no clergy. Instead, elected councils of nine individuals consensually guide activities at the local, national, and international levels.

  
  

  On the first day of the Riḍván Festival, local spiritual assemblies are elected all over the world. Between the 9th and 12th days of Riḍván, national elections are also held to elect the National Spiritual Assembly.

"Be united in your counsel, be united in your thoughts." — Bahá’u’lláh

Every five years, the members of the national assemblies elect the nine representatives of the international institution known as the Universal House of Justice.

The Great Being saith: The heaven of divine wisdom is illumined with the two luminaries of consultation and compassion. Take ye counsel together in all matters, inasmuch as consultation is the lamp of guidance which leadeth the way, and is the bestower of understanding." Bahá’u’lláh