Third Guardian of the Bahá’i Faith Ascended to the Abha Kingdom

Joel Bray Marangella
September 22, 1918 – September 1, 2013

Joel Bray Marangella, Guardian of the Bahá’i Faith, passed away on Monday, September 1, 2013 at his home in San Diego, California. He dedicated his labors during his Ministry to the Victory of the “Covenant of Bahá’u’lláh” and its divinely conceived, sacred and immortal “Child” and immutable “Charter”.

A celebration of his life’s service held at 10:30 A.M, Friday, September 6, 2013 at the North Chapel at Point Loma in San Diego, California.

Joel Bray Marangella was born on September 22, 1918 in Lynn, Massachusetts to Phillip and Edith (Gurthrie) Marangella.

In September 1945, he married the former Irene Maria Aducat in West Englewood, New Jersey.

Joel Bray Marangella was a WWII veteran, where is served in the European Theatre with distinction receiving two Bronze stars. Retiring from active duty at the rank of full Colonel, Joel Bray Marangella continued to serve as a Department of the Army civilian until 1972.

Joel Bray Marangella was also the leader, ‘the Guardian’, of the Orthodox Bahá’i Faith with a ministry spanning over 44 years. His dedicated service to the Cause of Bahá’u’lláh spanned over 80 years since his early declaration as a Bahá’i at the age of 15.

He and Irene lived in France for over 18 years before moving permanently to their vacation home in Ringgenberg, in the heart of the Swiss Bernese Oberland, overlooking the Lake of Brienze.

His periodic visits to the U.S. allowed him to obtain an advanced degree (MBA) from Florida International University in 1976.

A chance visit to Australia in the winter of 1983 convinced Joel and Irene that Perth, Australia was to be their new home where they lived for 30 years. During this period Joel Bray Marangella perfected his golf game and became the oldest continuous playing member of the famous Joondalup Golf Club at the age of 90.

At the age of 91, Joel again convinced Irene that they should finally return to the United States, and they left Australia and joined their son Paul and his wife Georgia in California.

Joel Bray Marangella is survived by his three sons, Paul Maxwell Marangella and his wife Georgia of San Diego, California; Mark Vali Marangella and his wife Christine of Ashburn, Virginia; and Joel Jani Marangella of Perth, Australia; three grandchildren, Mason, Adam, and Phillip Marangella and two great grandchildren, Noah and Leila Marangella.

He appointed his successor as the Fourth Guardian of Baha’i Faith to Mr. Nosrat’u’llah Bahremand as per the “Will and Testament” of Master Abdu’l Baha:

“O ye beloved of the Lord! It is incumbent upon the guardian of the Cause of God to appoint in his own life-time him (guardian) that shall become his successor, that differences may not arise after his passing.” (Will and Testament of Abdu’l Baha, page 12)

Compiled by Dr. A. Parikh from the writing the Hand of Cause of God Mr. Jeffrey Goldberg.

Abdu'l-Baha on Fasting

Accepting Remey's Proclamation

Happy Ridvan to All

Ridvan is the king of the Baha'i festivals.
It is a 12 day festival of the Baha'i Faith. Which begins from 21st April until 2nd May.
The 3 Holy Days in these 12 days are 21st April, 29th April & 2nd May.
We celebrate Baha'u'llah's declaration of His mission in the Najibiyyah Garden across the Tigris in Baghdad.

60 second explanation of the Baha'i Covenant

Most Baha'is are in error

Hand of the Cause David Maxwell discusses how the Baha'is are in error when they believe that Shoghi Effendi was the only Guardian.

The Guardians are the evidence of the maturity of mankind

STATEMENTS MADE BY SHOGHI EFFENDI ON THE COVENANT AND 'ABDU'L-BAHÁ'S WILL AND THE RELATION OF THAT WILL TO THE FIRST GUARDIAN'S ACTIONS
"The Guardians are the evidence of the maturity of mankind in the sense that at long last men have progressed to the point of having one world, and of needing one world management for human affairs. In the spiritual realm they have also reached the point where God could leave, in human hands (i.e. the Guardians'), guided directly by the Báb and Bahá’u’lláh, as the Master states in His Will, the affairs of His Faith for this Dispensation. This is what is meant by 'this is the day which will not be followed by the night'. In this Dispensation, divine guidance flows on to us in this world after the Prophet's ascension, through, first the Master, and then the Guardians." (The Bahá'í News, June, 1950, p. 8; #1047 of Lights of Guidance, p. 311)

A SEVERE TRIAL PURSUETH YOU

"O ye that are bereft of understanding! A severe trial pursueth you, and will suddenly overtake you. Bestir yourselves, that haply it may pass and inflict no harm upon you." — BAHÁ’U’LLÁH (p.169, Gleanings )

The above quotation differs in its language from other warnings of Bahá’u’lláh in which He has prophesied a dire catastrophe that is destined to befall the world.
Is there any doubt that He would have foreseen the crisis that was destined to afflict the Bahá’í World with the sudden and unexpected passing of the first Guardian of His Cause and prove to be a supreme test of the believers in their faith in the Covenant He had bequeathed to them and in the immutability and immortality of the divinely-conceived Will and Testament of the Center of the Covenant and the sacred "Child" of that Covenant? For such was the "severe trial" that would suddenly overtake them and which the vast majority of believers including the former Hands of the Cause (with a single notable exception) would tragically and miserably fail to survive.
What greater trial would have been foreseen by Bahá’u’lláh than one in which the fidelity of the believers to the continued Guardianship of the Cause of God and to the Administrative Order of which both He and ‘Abdu’l-Bahá had actually been Co-authors would be put to the proof and fail so completely that that they would abandon the divinely-conceived Administrative Order fashioned by "the master-hand of its perfect Architect" and shamelessly substitute, in its place, an obviously deformed, seriously flawed, and corrupted organization of their own making.
Would not Bahá’u’lláh have also foreseen that there would remain a small faithful and intrepid band of supporters of His Covenant who would retain a continuing unshakeable belief and faith in the immortality of the Will and Testament of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá and in the Institution of the Guardianship, as embodied in that Will and whose permanency, throughout the entire duration of His Dispensation, Bahá’u’lláh had Himself promised in the Kitáb-i-Íqán and indirectly in the Tablet of the Holy Mariner and an Institution whose essentiality, indispensability and immortality would be subsequently confirmed and repeatedly emphasized in the writings and in many of the historic and epoch-making messages of Shoghi Effendi?
And would not Bahá’u’lláh have also foreseen the fate that ultimately awaited the illegitimate, headless, man-made body established outside of the provisions of the Will and Testament of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá which its members, in their obvious self-delusion would still falsely claim to be the infallible Institution delineated in that sacred Document and, in spite of being a headless body, further incredibly pretend that this body had become the Head of the Faith? Thus, this illegitimate body, in its transparent and spiritual blindness, would flagrantly violate the indestructible, resistless and enduring Covenant of Bahá’u’lláh, as He had foretold they would in the Tablet of the Holy Mariner and would, in turn, ignominiously lead the vast majority of the believers throughout the world far astray from that glorious Covenant.
And, finally Bahá’u’lláh would have known that His invincible Covenant would ultimately obtain a lasting victory over this Great Violation and that the divinely-appointed institutions of His Most Great Order would be re-established as delineated by the Center of His Covenant in His Divine Charter and flourish in all of their promised perfection and glory as they achieved maturity in His future World Commonwealth – the Kingdom of God "on earth as it is in Heaven."

Joel Bray Marangella
Third Guardian of the Bahá’í Faith
Australia, January 2004

What happened that dark night following the passing of Shoghi Effendi?

Mason Remey wrote in his daily observation:
Twenty-six of the twenty-seven Hands of the Faith assembled in conclave in the great pillared hall of the Mansion of Bahjí at ‘Akká in the early afternoon. After the reading of prayers, [they] read the report of those of us who had searched in the Guardian’s rooms and found no will and testament among his papers. Such in a few words was our report. Upon Rúhíyyih Khánum’s the widow of Shoghi Effendi insistence, no minutes or written records were kept of the proceedings of the conclave. .. I remember, some talk upon the parts of a number of our members about inconsequential things and then the meeting was adjourned until the following morning.
Several of us, including myself, returned to Haifa for the night while the rest, consisting of all of the Persian Hands, remained the night at Bahjí where we who had gone to Haifa for the night met with them on the following morning.
Following prayers and some mention of the Guardianship to the effect that no will or testament had been found in the safe or in the desk of Shoghi Effendi, Dr. Muhájir, the youngest of the Persian Hands, sprang to his feet proposing that the Will and Testament of the Master ‘Abdu’l-Bahá be pronounced BADAH and that the Guardianship be ended forever and closed forever. This was immediately seconded and carried enthusiastically and supported by all the Persian Hands who spoke to the point supporting this putting aside for a thousand years (until the coming of the next Manifestation) the Institution of the Guardianship – allowing that this next coming Manifestation might then possibly see fit to reestablish the Guardianship if he thought best in a thousand years from this present date – but as far as this Dispensation was concerned that there should be no more Guardianship.
Each of the Persian Hands spoke supporting this motion – each repeating practically verbatim the same argument so one could understand at first thought that they had talked it up and decided it all beforehand. This entire matter was so quickly done and its passage pressed and accomplished so quickly, that it was very apparent that at some time during those night hours these Persian Hands at Bahjí had consulted together and made a covenant amongst themselves and had made this arrangement to pronounce the Guardianship BADAH and thus railroad the matter through and carry the day. Furthermore, Rúhíyyih Khánum concurred with this majority so their point was carried by the majority.

Naw Ruz Greetings

We extend our heartiest greetings to all the Bahai friends throughout the world and we pledge on this day to be obedient, submissive and subordinate to the living Guardian of the Cause of God, Joel Bray Marangella, in faithful conformity with the following commands of the Master, Abdu'l Baha, in His Will and Testament:
"The Mighty stronghold shall remain impregnable and safe through obedience to him who is the guardian of the Cause of God. It is incumbent upon the members of House of Justice, upon all the Aghsan, the Afnan, the Hands of the Cause of God to show their obedience, submissuveness and subordination unto the guardian of the Cause of God to turn unto him and be lowly before him." (Will and Testament - 12).
Dr. A Parikh,Secretary, National (Orthodox) Bahai Council of India.
Vinod Kumar,Secretary, National Teaching Committee.