Ridván

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Ridván is the most important festival in the Bahá'í calendar. It is celebrated for twelve days in the northern spring: from 13 Jalál to 5 Jamál, or 21 April to 2 May. The days are counted to begin at sunset the day before, and end at sunset that evening.

These twelve days commemorate the announcement by Bahá'u'lláh of his prophethood in 1863. During this time, exiled from Baghdad, he stayed in a garden outside of the city. Ridván, meaning 'paradise', refers to this. After the twelve days, Bahá'u'lláh began his journey to Constantinople.

Although all twelve days are sacred, the first, ninth and last are the most sacred. On these days a Bahá'í should refrain from normal work.