Dedication ceremony illuminates hearts

PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea — On Saturday 25 May, over 1,000 people from various regions of Papua New Guinea gathered in Port Moresby for the inauguration ceremony of the national Bahá’í House of Worship. Among the guests were government officials, religious leaders, members of civil society, representatives of local and national Bahá’í institutions, and many others from across the country and abroad, including New Zealand. The celebrations extended into Sunday, with an additional 3,000 attendees joining to commemorate this historic event.

Shared in this article, is the beautiful letter from the House of Justice addressed to the gathering, read by their designated representative, Mrs. Kessia Ruh, a Papua New Guinean Bahá’í currently serving as a Continental Counsellor for Australasia. A video of the dedication ceremony is also linked for viewing, along with a link to the official Bahá’í World News Service article, which contains many wonderful photos that capture the beauty and significance of the occasion.

Letter from the House of Justice addressed to the gathering

THE UNIVERSAL HOUSE OF JUSTICE
25 May 2024
To the Friends Gathered in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, for the Dedication of the House of Worship
Dearly loved Friends,
With hearts filled with love and abundant joy, we greet you on this auspicious occasion, the inauguration of the Mas̲h̲riqu'l-Ad̲h̲kár for Papua New Guinea. The emergence of this national House of Worship is a testimony to the rapid progress of the Faith across the country. We join you in expressing heartfelt praise and gratitude to Bahá’u’lláh, Who has showered upon you His grace throughout the history of the Cause in your land and now has blessed you with this momentous accomplishment.
The raising of a House of Worship in Papua New Guinea, this crowning achievement, has called forth your community’s resilience, resourcefulness, and determination, as demonstrated through years of strenuous labour, earnest consultation, and ardent supplication of the Almighty. Through your dedicated efforts, a sacred space has been created in which all may, in the words of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, “gather together, and, harmoniously attuned one to another, engage in prayer; with the result that out of this coming together, unity and affection shall grow and flourish in the human heart.”
Purity of heart, deep spirituality, and unshakeable faith—these attributes are inherent in the noble people of Papua New Guinea. They are the qualities that have characterized the believers in your country ever since the Faith reached your shores; they are the foundation upon which the House of Worship has been built. This physical edifice, nestled in the hills of Port Moresby that overlook the Coral Sea, has a profound spiritual significance. By welcoming all within its walls, it expresses the unity of the human race and the oneness of all religions. It weaves together the diverse peoples of this mighty nation by inviting them all to come together in service to humanity and worship of God. Indeed, souls across the country are already being stirred by these ideals. We rejoice to see how, in villages and neighbourhoods, worship and service have come to form the basis of a rich pattern of collective life wherever community-building activities are flourishing. In such places, brothers and sisters in spirit are learning together how they can contribute their share to the betterment of their communities—and beyond this, how they can provide for the material and spiritual prosperity of their whole society. May the dedication of this Temple, in the heart of your nation, inspire the emergence of many more communities aspiring to such noble aims.
Let all rejoice! For this is the moment when faith, hope, and shared purpose all converge. May the anthems of praise that are raised within this sacred space send your spirits soaring and call down blessings upon all who assemble inside.
THE UNIVERSAL HOUSE OF JUSTICE

PDF of this Letter

Mrs. Ruh, representative of the Universal House of Justice to the event, read its message addressed to the gathering.

Video of the Dedication Ceremony

The following video, shared by the Bahá’í community of Papua New Guinea on YouTube, captures the Saturday dedication ceremony in its entirety. It runs for approximately two and a half hours.