An Homage to Memorials of the Faithful and to Eight of Its Heroes

By Julio Savi

Presented at the Irfan Colloquia Session #132
Center for Bahá'í Studies: Acuto, Italy
July 2–5, 2015
(see list of papers from #132)

published in Lights of Irfan, volume 17, pages 277-304
© 2016, ‘Irfán Colloquia


    Memorial of the Faithful is described as an inspiring "book of prototypes," that not only portrays "all of the archetypes that the various personality theorists have given us in this century" and "all the human dichotomies" that we may find in our lives, but also addresses "us in our time . . . [and] on our own travels . . . [in our] tacit dimension, the silent root of human life." These features of the book have lead the author to compose eight poems on eight of the personages of the book: Shaykh Salmán, Nabíl-i-Zarandí, Darvísh-i-á��idq-'Alí, Shaykh á��ádiq-i-Yazdí, Zaynu'l-'íbidín Yazdí, Shaykh 'Alí Akbar-i-Mazgání, 'Abdu'lláh Baghdádí and Jináb-i-Muníb. They have not been chosen because they were considered in any way superior to or better than all the others. They were chosen because some of their personal qualities and of the events in their lives raised louder echoes in the author's heart and mind. The eight poems are presented, with short explanations of the details that have moved the author to write them.