Date for unveiling the design of Canada’s House of Worship

8 September 2026 / 1 Might 183

To the followers of Bahá’u’lláh in Canada

Dearly loved Friends,

It brings us the greatest joy to share with you the long-awaited news: an architect and a design for Canada’s national Mashriqu’l-Adhkár have been chosen.

This moment concludes an extended, inspiring process in which many dedicated and talented architects offered their creative ideas for this undertaking. Each submission was rendered in the ink of love for Bahá’u’lláh and with a profound consciousness of the historic and sacred nature of the project. To all who participated in this remarkable endeavour, we offer our deepest gratitude.

The National Spiritual Assembly’s choice was submitted to the Universal House of Justice for its review, and we have now received its approval to proceed. It is therefore with great happiness that we announce that the design will be unveiled on 17 October 2026, on the grounds of the Bahá’í National Centre, in the presence of invited dignitaries, representatives of the Canadian Bahá’í community, and other guests.

A glimpse of the significance of the process that is unfolding is offered by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Who says that so momentous is this undertaking that even the act of “laying but one brick for [it] or one of its dependencies is like unto building a lofty edifice”. The beloved Guardian refers to the Mashriqu’l-Adhkár as a “symbol and harbinger of the World Order of Bahá’u’lláh”, while the Universal House of Justice describes it as a beacon of light “against the gloom of hatred and inequity”[i]. How fitting, then, to recall the summons addressed by the beloved Master to the peoples of Canada in the Tablets of the Divine Plan:

“Consequently, rest ye not, seek ye no composure, attach not yourselves to the luxuries of this ephemeral world, free yourselves from every attachment, and strive with heart and soul to become fully established in the Kingdom of God. Gain ye the heavenly treasures. Day by day become ye more illumined. Draw ye nearer and nearer unto the threshold of oneness. Become ye the manifestors of spiritual favours and the dawning-places of infinite lights!”

Beloved friends, how can we thank Bahá’u’lláh enough for the privilege bestowed upon our generation?

We have been given not only the joy of raising up Canada’s national Mashriqu’l-Adhkár, but the gift of contributing to all that it represents: worship and service woven together, communities becoming havens of peace, and the light of unity shining ever more brightly amid the gathering darkness of the world. Let us redouble our prayers that, as this sacred edifice rises amid the turmoil of our age and we labour to strengthen vibrant patterns of life in community after community, haven after haven, the light of this Dawning-place of the Praise of God may be increasingly reflected in our collective life as we become, in the words of the Master, “the dawning-places of infinite lights”, illumining the path to the threshold of oneness.

With loving Bahá’í greetings,
NATIONAL SPIRITUAL ASSEMBLY OF THE BAHÁ’ÍS OF CANADA
Karen McKye, Secretary

[i] https://www.bahai.org/library/authoritative-texts/compilations/institution-mashriqul-adhkar/1#250953299