About the Bahá’í Faith

The Bahá’í Community of Canada comprises of approximately 35,000 members and is representative of the country’s rich cultural and ethnic diversity. Bahá’ís reside in every province and territory in Canada and in some 1,000 localities across the country.

There is no clergy in the Bahá’í Faith. In many localities, Bahá’ís elect a nine-member Local Spiritual Assembly, and the national governing council is the annually elected nine-member National Spiritual Assembly.

To learn more about the Bahá’í community of Canada and its activities visit: www.bahai.ca

Bahá’í Devotional Life

Prayer is integral to Bahá’í life. In homes and local centres across Canada, Bahá’ís and their friends regularly gather in a spirit of unity and friendship to pray together. These occasions, called devotional gatherings, generate feelings of fellowship among participants and naturally lead to meaningful conversations about spiritual themes and a desire to work with others in serving humanity. Devotional gatherings are at the heart of a vibrant community life and are open for all to participate. Gatherings take place in homes and local community centres to facilitate the greatest accessibility among friends and neighbours.

The Bahá’í Temple will offer a serene space for prayer and meditation that is complementary, but not central, the existing local devotional culture.

Learn more about the Bahá’í perspective on prayer

Visiting a Bahá’í Temple

Bahá’í temples offer people of all backgrounds, faiths, and beliefs a place for silent prayer and contemplation. Bahá’í temples have no prescribed rituals around prayer or weekly services as is common in other faith traditions.

The Temple will be open to individuals seeking a place for silent prayer and contemplation and may offer devotional programs on occasions such as the nine Bahá’í Holy Days which are observed throughout the year. Devotional programs in Bahá’í temples aim to contribute to a sense of reverence and upliftment and involve sharing Bahá’í prayers and sacred writings through word or song.

Open to the public seven days a week, Bahá’í temples are exclusively reserved for prayer and meditation. Bahá’í meetings for deliberation on community affairs and socialization may not take place in a Bahá’í Temple. Other events such as public talks, weddings, funerals, reunions, picnics, sporting activities, and festivals are similarly not permitted.

Learn more about Bahá’í Holy Days

A National Bahá’í Temple for Canada

There are currently thirteen Bahá’í Temples in the world, some of which are local, national and continental. The distinction between these Bahá’í Houses of Worship is a matter of scale. The national Bahá’í Temple for Canada, as a focal point of worship within the country, will have a more modest structure than continental Temples which are built to welcome a greater number of visitors. Envisioned as a “Temple in the trees”, nestled below the existing tree line, the Bahá’í Temple will welcome the country’s diverse inhabitants as a symbol of the oneness of humankind.