In relation to traditional festivities in general, every culture has these, and Bahá’ís should be encouraged to preserve their inherited cultural identities if they wish to, so long as the activities that are involved do not contravene the principles of the Faith or identify them as the followers of other religions. The perpetuation of such cultural characteristics is an expression of unity in diversity. Although most of these celebrations have no doubt stemmed from religious rituals in bygone ages, the religious meaning has, in very many cases, given way to purely cultural tradition.
... it should also be remembered that the weaning away of the Bahá’ís from customs and traditions, which have been established in their societies for centuries, takes time and is a gradual process.
- The Universal House of Justice (From a letter dated 2 January 2002 written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice to a Local Spiritual Assembly; included in a letter dated 4 June 2019 written on behalf of the Universal House of Justice)
