Marta Gomez, a Baha'i in Irmo, S.C., started out making a simple calendar to put on the refrigerator so her daughters, Alma, 9, and Maya, 5, could keep track of days in Baha'i and Gregorian time. But the project grew in scope and intricacy, and by the time she was done, Ms. Gomez had created an elaborate 30-inch-by-30-inch work of art in watercolor and ink.


Calendar designed by Marta Gomez The calendar features large outer circles on which the months of the Baha’i calendar are printed in Arabic and surrounded by their English translations. A double series of 365 dots shows how the first day of each Baha'i month overlaps with days in the Gregorian calendar. An inner series of seven large circles shows the Baha’i names for the days of the week.

The Baha’i calendar begins on March 21, the first day of spring. It consists of 19 months of 19 days each (361 days), and four “intercalary days” (five in leap years) between the 18th and 19th months to adjust the calendar to the solar year.

Baha'i months are named for the attributes of God, which include Perfection, Splendor and Sovereignty. The days of the week and months also are named for attributes of God. For example, Jalal (Glory) corresponds to Saturday, Jamal (Beauty) to Sunday, etc. (The Planet Baha’i website describes the Baha’i calendar in more detail.)

The calendar was created by the Bab, Baha’u’llah’s forerunner. The Baha’i Era began in 1844, the year the Bab declared himself a Prophet. March 20, 2008 marks the beginning of the year 165 B.E. (Baha'i Era).

To enhance the significance of her calendar, Ms. Gomez included symbols related to the Baha’i Faith: a nine-pointed star for unity; a peacock for eternal life; an eagle for victory; an ark for safety, salvation and deliverance; and the Baha'i ringstone symbol, which represents the world of God, the world of God's manifestation and the world of man.

Ms. Gomez also includes one quote from Baha’u’llah and two quotes from His son and successor, Abdu’l-Baha:

From Baha’u’llah:
This is the Day whereon the Ocean of God's mercy hath been manifested unto men, the Day in which the Day Star of His loving-kindness hath shed its radiance upon them, the Day in which the clouds of His bountiful favor have overshadowed the whole of mankind. Now is the time to cheer and refresh the down-cast through the invigorating breeze of love and fellowship, and the living waters of friendliness and charity.

From Abdu’l-Baha:
The age has dawned when human fellowship will become a reality. The century has come when all religions will be unified. The dispensation is at hand when all nations shall enjoy the blessings of International Peace. The cycle has arrived when racial prejudice will be abandoned by tribes and peoples of the world.

Now is the time for affiliation, and now is the period of unity and concord.