August 27. On this date in 1943, Anna Rudd, wife of the first Swedish Bahá'í pioneer August Rudd, passed away.

 

August 27. On this date in 1943, Anna Rudd, wife of the first Swedish Bahá'í pioneer August Rudd, passed away.

April 28. On this date in 2003, Hadi Afsahi died. A notable Iranian Bahá’í, he pioneered to Sweden, where he served on the inaugural National Spiritual Assembly and later as an Auxiliary Board member for the Continental Board of Counsellors for Europe.

April 28. On this date in 2003, Hadi Afsahi died. A notable Iranian Bahá’í, he pioneered to Sweden, where he served on the inaugural National Spiritual Assembly and later as an Auxiliary Board member for the Continental Board of Counsellors for Europe.

A fourth generation Bahá’í, Hadi Afshai was born on April 15, 1924 in Tehran, Iran, and received his early education at the Bahá’í Tarbíyat School in that city. After earning a degree in civil engineering from the University of Tehran he worked with the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company from 1947 to 1959 and pioneered to two different localities within the country. Mr. Afsahi was a member of the first Local Spiritual Assemblies in the Iranian cities of Masjid-i-Sulayman and Gachsaran. He married Mehri Golmohammadi in 1953, and the couple had two children, May and Aram. In January 1960, Mr. Afsahi left Iran for Sweden, settling in Uppsala, a pioneer goal city, to be joined several months later by his family. In Sweden, he served as a member of the first Local Spiritual Assembly in Uppsala and was also a member of the country's National Teaching Committee from 1960 to 1967. Elected as a member of the first National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Sweden, he served on that body from 1962 until 1968, when he was appointed as a member of the Auxiliary Board of the Continental Board of Counsellors for Europe, in which capacity he served until 1993.

Mr. Afsahi made many trips throughout Sweden and internationally to teach the Bahá’í Faith. Within Sweden, he was active in teaching minority groups such as the Roma people and the native Sámi people of Lapland. During his years in Sweden Mr. Afsahi worked as a high school teacher of mathematics, physics, and chemistry, until his retirement in 1989. He was also involved with the United Nations Association and the National Sámi Organization.

Hadi Afsahi died on April 28, 2003. In its message after his passing, the Universal House of Justice wrote of his "long-serving and steadfast devotion, his warm and radiant spirit, and his indefatigable dedication to the teaching work," which it "recalled with deep gratitude".

April 15. On this date in 1924, Hadi Afsahi was born in Tehran, Iran. A notable Iranian Bahá’í, he pioneered to Sweden, where he served on the inaugural National Spiritual Assembly and later as an Auxiliary Board member for the Continental Board of Counsellors for Europe.

April 15. On this date in 1924, Hadi Afsahi was born in Tehran, Iran. A notable Iranian Bahá’í, he pioneered to Sweden, where he served on the inaugural National Spiritual Assembly and later as an Auxiliary Board member for the Continental Board of Counsellors for Europe.

A fourth generation Bahá’í, Hadi Afsahi was born on April 15, 1924 in Tehran, Iran, and received his early education at the Bahá’í Tarbíyat School in that city. After earning a degree in civil engineering from the University of Tehran he worked with the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company from 1947 to 1959 and pioneered to two different localities within the country. Mr. Afsahi was a member of the first Local Spiritual Assemblies in the Iranian cities of Masjid-i-Sulayman and Gachsaran. He married Mehri Golmohammadi in 1953, and the couple had two children, May and Aram. In January 1960, Mr. Afsahi left Iran for Sweden, settling in Uppsala, a pioneer goal city, to be joined several months later by his family. In Sweden, he served as a member of the first Local Spiritual Assembly in Uppsala and was also a member of the country's National Teaching Committee from 1960 to 1967. Elected as a member of the first National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Sweden, he served on that body from 1962 until 1968, when he was appointed as a member of the Auxiliary Board of the Continental Board of Counsellors for Europe, in which capacity he served until 1993.

Mr. Afsahi made many trips throughout Sweden and internationally to teach the Bahá’í Faith. Within Sweden, he was active in teaching minority groups such as the Roma people and the native Sámi people of Lapland. During his years in Sweden Mr. Afsahi worked as a high school teacher of mathematics, physics, and chemistry, until his retirement in 1989. He was also involved with the United Nations Association and the National Sámi Organization.

Hadi Afsahi died on April 28, 2003. In its message after his passing, the Universal House of Justice wrote of his "long-serving and steadfast devotion, his warm and radiant spirit, and his indefatigable dedication to the teaching work," which it "recalled with deep gratitude".

March 22. On this date in 2013, Elizabeth "Libby" Bevan Golmohammadi, a Knight of Bahá'u'lláh for Rhodes, and a member of the first NSA of Sweden, died in China.

March 22. On this date in 2013, Elizabeth "Libby" Bevan Golmohammadi, a Knight of Bahá'u'lláh for Rhodes, and a member of the first NSA of Sweden, died in China.

Elizabeth Bevan learned about the Bahá’í Faith when she was young from Dorothy Baker, who would later be named a Hand of the Cause of God.

When she was 28 years old, she responded to the call by Shoghi Effendi’s for pioneers to arise and open territories where there were no Bahá'ís. In 1954,Shoghi Effendi named her as Knight of Bahá'u'lláh when she moved from her home in Los Angeles, California, to the Island of Rhodes where she remained until 1958.

Later she moved to Sweden, where she served the Faith with her husband, Rouhollah Golmohammadi, and raised her family. In 1962 Libby and Rouhollah Golmohammadi were both elected to Sweden’s inaugural National Spiritual Assembly, and the next year both served as electors at the first International Bahá’í Convention for the election of the first Universal House of Justice at Ridván in 1963.

In retirement Libby and her husband moved once again to Hungary, joining their daughter, Haleh, and served the Cause for four years in that country. In 1998 she and her husband returned to Sweden, where her died in 1999.

In 2004 at age 79 Libby moved to Tianjin, again to be near her daughter. She suffered a stroke in July 2011, nearly two years before her death on March 22, 2013.

February 13. On this date in 1926, August Rudd, the first Swedish Bahá'í pioneer, died.

 

February 13. On this date in 1926, August Rudd, the first Swedish Bahá'í pioneer, died.

August 27. On this date in 1943, Anna Rudd, wife of the first Swedish Bahá'í pioneer August Rudd, died.

August 27. On this date in 1943, Anna Rudd, wife of the first Swedish Bahá'í pioneer August Rudd, died.

May 17. On this date in 2008, Brigitte Lundblade, who had pioneered to Sweden, Denmark and Estonia and been named a Knight of Bahá'u'lláh for the Shetland Islands, died.

May 17. On this date in 2008, Brigitte Lundblade, who had pioneered to Sweden, Denmark and Estonia and been named a Knight of Bahá'u'lláh for the Shetland Islands, died.

Brigitte Hasselblatt was born on January 21, 1923, into a Baltic German family in Tallinn, Estonia. During World War II, the Hasselblatt family was evacuated to Germany, and after the war Brigitte moved to England, where she became a Bahá’í at a summer school in 1950.

In 1953 Brigitte settled in the Shetland Islands, a territory named by Shoghi Effendi in connection with the Ten Year Crusade, and in doing so became a Knight of Bahá'u'lláh.

In 1956 Brigitte went on Pilgrimage and met Shoghi Effendi, who told her to introduce the Bahá’ís Faith to Estonia. Because it was impossible to go to the Soviet Union at that time, Brigitte chose to pioneer to Finland instead.

While in Finland Brigitte married Milton Lundblade, an American Bahá’í of Swedish descent. In 1961 they pioneered again, this time to Denmark, where there son Laurence was born. Because Milton was unable to find work there they soon had to move to the United States. For the next several years Brigitte worked as a school nurse in California. In 1963, their daughter Luise was born in Downey, California.

After her children were grown and her husband had died, Brigitte moved back to Finland as a pioneer in 1984, still waiting for an opportunity to return to Estonia in accordance with Shoghi Effendi's wishes. Her chance finally came in 1988.

Although a handful of people, predominantly Esperantists, had become Bahá’ís in Estonia prior to Brigitte's arrival, her flat in Tallinn quickly became the center of Bahá’í activity in the country. She was elected to the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baltic States in 1993 and remained a member of the National Spiritual Assembly of Estonia after it was formed as a separate body in 1999.

On the advice of the Universal House of Justice, she retired in 2006 after many years of service.
Brigitte devoted her final years to writing her memoirs with assistance from a friend, Susanne Pfaff-Grossman. "The Life of a Pioneer" was originally published in German and was then translated into English by Brigitte herself.

Brigitte died on May 17, 2008 and is buried in her native Tallinn.

April 28. On this date in 2003, Hadi Afsahi died. A notable Iranian Bahá’í, he pioneered to Sweden, where he served on the inaugural National Spiritual Assembly and later as an Auxiliary Board member for the Continental Board of Counsellors for Europe.

 
April 28. On this date in 2003, Hadi Afsahi died. A notable Iranian Bahá’í, he pioneered to Sweden, where he served on the inaugural National Spiritual Assembly and later as an Auxiliary Board member for the Continental Board of Counsellors for Europe.

A fourth generation Bahá’í, Hadi Afshai was born on April 15, 1924 in Tehran, Iran, and received his early education at the Bahá’í Tarbíyat School in that city. After earning a degree in civil engineering from the University of Tehran he worked with the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company from 1947 to 1959 and pioneered to two different localities within the country. Mr. Afsahi was a member of the first Local Spiritual Assemblies in the Iranian cities of Masjid-i-Sulayman and Gachsaran. He married Mehri Golmohammadi in 1953, and the couple had two children, May and Aram.

In January 1960, Mr. Afsahi left Iran for Sweden, settling in Uppsala, a pioneer goal city, to be joined several months later by his family. In Sweden, he served as a member of the first Local Spiritual Assembly in Uppsala and was also a member of the country's National Teaching Committee from 1960 to 1967. Elected as a member of the first National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Sweden, he served on that body from 1962 until 1968, when he was appointed as a member of the Auxiliary Board of the Continental Board of Counsellors for Europe, in which capacity he served until 1993.

Mr. Afsahi made many trips throughout Sweden and internationally to teach the Bahá’í Faith. Within Sweden, he was active in teaching minority groups such as the Roma people and the native Sámi people of Lapland. During his years in Sweden Mr. Afsahi worked as a high school teacher of mathematics, physics, and chemistry, until his retirement in 1989. He was also involved with the United Nations Association and the National Sámi Organization.

Hadi Afsahi died on April 28, 2003. In its message after his passing, the Universal House of Justice wrote of his "long-serving and steadfast devotion, his warm and radiant spirit, and his indefatigable dedication to the teaching work," which it "recalled with deep gratitude".

April 15. On this date in 1924, Hadi Afsahi was born in Tehran, Iran. A notable Iranian Bahá’í, he pioneered to Sweden, where he served on the inaugural National Spiritual Assembly and later as an Auxiliary Board member for the Continental Board of Counsellors for Europe.

April 15. On this date in 1924, Hadi Afsahi was born in Tehran, Iran. A notable Iranian Bahá’í, he pioneered to Sweden, where he served on the inaugural National Spiritual Assembly and later as an Auxiliary Board member for the Continental Board of Counsellors for Europe.

A fourth generation Bahá’í, Hadi Afsahi was born on April 15, 1924 in Tehran, Iran, and received his early education at the Bahá’í Tarbíyat School in that city. After earning a degree in civil engineering from the University of Tehran he worked with the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company from 1947 to 1959 and pioneered to two different localities within the country. Mr. Afsahi was a member of the first Local Spiritual Assemblies in the Iranian cities of Masjid-i-Sulayman and Gachsaran. He married Mehri Golmohammadi in 1953, and the couple had two children, May and Aram. In January 1960, Mr. Afsahi left Iran for Sweden, settling in Uppsala, a pioneer goal city, to be joined several months later by his family. In Sweden, he served as a member of the first Local Spiritual Assembly in Uppsala and was also a member of the country's National Teaching Committee from 1960 to 1967. Elected as a member of the first National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá’ís of Sweden, he served on that body from 1962 until 1968, when he was appointed as a member of the Auxiliary Board of the Continental Board of Counsellors for Europe, in which capacity he served until 1993.

Mr. Afsahi made many trips throughout Sweden and internationally to teach the Bahá’í Faith. Within Sweden, he was active in teaching minority groups such as the Roma people and the native Sámi people of Lapland. During his years in Sweden Mr. Afsahi worked as a high school teacher of mathematics, physics, and chemistry, until his retirement in 1989. He was also involved with the United Nations Association and the National Sámi Organization.

Hadi Afsahi died on April 28, 2003. In its message after his passing, the Universal House of Justice wrote of his "long-serving and steadfast devotion, his warm and radiant spirit, and his indefatigable dedication to the teaching work," which it "recalled with deep gratitude".

March 22. On this date in 2013, Elizabeth "Libby" Bevan Golmohammadi, a Knight of Bahá'u'lláh for Rhodes, and a member of the first NSA of Sweden, died in China.

March 22. On this date in 2013, Elizabeth "Libby" Bevan Golmohammadi, a Knight of Bahá'u'lláh for Rhodes, and a member of the first NSA of Sweden, died in China.

Elizabeth Bevan learned about the Bahá’í Faith when she was young from Dorothy Baker, who would later be named a Hand of the Cause of God.

When she was 28 years old, she responded to the call by Shoghi Effendi’s for pioneers to arise and open territories where there were no Bahá'ís. In 1954,Shoghi Effendi named her as Knight of Bahá'u'lláh when she moved from her home in Los Angeles, California, to the Island of Rhodes where she remained until 1958.

Later she moved to Sweden, where she served the Faith with her husband, Rouhollah Golmohammadi, and raised her family. In 1962 Libby and Rouhollah Golmohammadi were both elected to Sweden’s inaugural National Spiritual Assembly, and the next year both served as electors at the first International Bahá’í Convention for the election of the first Universal House of Justice at Ridván in 1963.

In retirement Libby and her husband moved once again to Hungary, joining their daughter, Haleh, and served the Cause for four years in that country. In 1998 she and her husband returned to Sweden, where her died in 1999.

In 2004 at age 79 Libby moved to Tianjin, again to be near her daughter. She suffered a stroke in July 2011, nearly two years before her death on March 22, 2013.

February 13. On this date in 1926, August Rudd, the first Swedish Bahá'í, died.

February 13. On this date in 1926, August Rudd, the first Swedish Bahá'í, died.

August 27. On this date in 1943, Anna Rudd, wife of the first Swedish Bahá'í pioneer August Rudd, died.

August 27. On this date in 1943, Anna Rudd, wife of the first Swedish Bahá'í pioneer August Rudd, died.