The Báb instituted the Nineteen Day Feast

Oct 15

Oct 15 The Báb instituted the Nineteen Day Feast

Bahá’u’lláh has confirmed and continued a number of practices inaugurated by the Báb. One of them is the Nineteen Day Feast. The Universal House of Justice writes:

In the Arabic Bayán, the Báb called upon His followers to gather together once every nineteen days to show hospitality and fellowship. Bahá’u’lláh here [in the Most Holy Book] confirms this and notes the unifying role of such occasions. (1)

‘Abdu’l-Bahá further explained the importance of this essential community activity at the heart of Bahá’í devotional life:

This Feast was established by His Highness the Báb, to occur once in nineteen days. Likewise, [Bahá’u’lláh] hath commanded, encourage and reiterated it. Therefore, it hath the utmost importance. Undoubtedly you must give the greatest attention to its establishment and raise it to the highest point of importance, so that it may become continual and constant. The believers of God must assemble and associate with each other in the utmost love, joy and fragrance. They must conduct themselves (in these Feasts) with the greatest dignity and consideration, chant divine verses, peruse instructive articles, read the Tablets of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, encourage and inspire each other with love for the whole human race, invoke God with perfect joy and fragrance, sing the verses, glorifications and praises of the Self-subsistent Lord and deliver eloquent speeches. The owner of the house must personally serve the beloved ones. He must seek after the comfort of all and with the utmost humility he must show forth kindness to every one. If the Feast is arranged in this manner and in the way mentioned, that supper is the “Lord’s supper,” for the result is the same result and the effect is the same effect. (2)