October 8. On this date in 1954, Richard Nolen and his wife arrived in the Azores, for which he and his wife were named Knights of Bahá’u’lláh.

 

October 8. On this date in 1954, Richard Nolen and his wife arrived in the Azores, for which he and his wife were named Knights of Bahá’u’lláh.

Richard Nolen was born in Almont, Michigan on March 14, 1914. At the age of five he contracted rheumatic fever which left him with a defective heart and curtailed his physical activity all his life. Compelled to seek quiet pursuits he devoted a deep love of good music and a burning thirst for spiritual truth. As a young man he composed and arranged orchestral music and played in local orchestras. He investigated religion. In 1948, through an advertisement in the area newspaper, he learned of the Bahá’í Faith and met Kenneth and Roberta Christian in Lansing, Michigan. He immediately converted to the Bahá’í Faith and participated in local, state and national activities.

Responding to the call of Shoghi Effendi for pioneers in the Ten Year Crusade, Nolen and his family (Lois A. (Warner), Linda Jean, Cynthia and John) immediately volunteered to go to a virgin territory. It was suggested by the National Spiritual Assembly of the United States that he go to the Azores Islands where the climate is mild. He resigned his job as a draftsman, disposed of his home and household furnishings, and with his wife and three children boarded a freighter which brought them to the Azores on October 8, 1953. For this action, Mr. and Mrs. Nolen were designated Knights of Bahá’u’lláh by Shoghi Effendi.

After a period of physical hardship, and handicapped in his search for employment because of lack of knowledge of the Portuguese language, Mr. Nolen found work with a building contractor at a United States air base and later he was employed by the United States Government as a draftsman at Lajes Air Force base on Terceira Island. Life became considerably easier. Mr. Nolen applied himself diligently to a study of the Portuguese language in order to equip himself to teach the Faith. he traveled to all nine islands in the group, teaching, presenting literature and made several trips to meet the Bahá’ís of Portugal and Germany.

At Riḍván 1958, the first Spiritual Assembly was formed on Terceira Island but it was not until December of that year that the first two native believers embraced the Faith. By 1961 the local religious authorities grew concerned. The International Police summoned Mr. Nolen and advised him that he must discontinue teaching the Bahá’í Faith or leave the island. Despite these obstacles the Spiritual Assembly continued to meet and study classes were held in Bahá’í homes. A functioning body of believers was left in the Azores when Mr. Nolen's failing health led to his reluctant decision, in 1962, to return to the United States.

Two more children had been born to the Nolens (Christopher Lee and Sylvia Louise) in the Azores, and although the eldest daughter (Linda) had matured and returned to America earlier, there was still a family of six who settled in Tacoma, Washington, in August 1962 and enjoyed the sorely missed activities of Bahá’í schools, institutes and conventions. Mr. Nolen now enjoyed the bounty of unfettered teaching of the Faith he loved.

After a prolonged illness which confined him to hospital, Richard Nolen died on May 5, 1964.