Dome of Unity

Main view from the front of the temple

On top of a very steep and windy road rests a not-so-hidden enchanting piece of architecture; the temple of Baháʼí. Its egg-like dome can be seen from miles away along the Corredor Norte, inviting all to come take a look and learn about its community, its purpose, and most of all; its peaceful and open doors. 

A welcome as warm as the breeze

Once we arrived at the visitors' center we were immediately welcomed by a friendly and soothing voice of an older lady wearing a white gown with flowers stitched on it and a warm smile on her face. In her hand she has her phone and her eyes are busy scanning the area. Aurora Franco de Carrasco happily starts telling us about the Baháʼí religion and its key laws of equality and unity. On Sundays she manages the many students who help maintain the property of the temple. Like an army of ants they mop the floor, trim the bushes, rake up leafs, and organize the pamphlets. 

When we mention El Latido Local, we are immediately offered to sit down with Aurora and talk in more detail. Swiftly, we are ushered into a comfortable office whose main attribute is a very large TV screen with 16 security camera videos. On the way, the general makes sure all students know what to do during her brief absence from the battleground, ensuring an uninterrupted state of immaculacy.

"I find that recently a lot of people want to do good, but don't know how to or how to connect to others."

From Bogotá to Baháʼí

Aurora Franco de Carrasco

Aurora explains that she arrived to Panama from Colombia 42 years ago. Her roommate in her first apartment is an Iranian woman who is a Baháʼís and introduces Aurora to its teachings and welcoming spirit. After four years of careful and considered review and study of the material Aurora becomes a Baháʼí herself as well. In her professional life she works as a teacher and writes articles for La Prensa and La Estrella. Her career as a teacher has a clear influence on her way of being, and explains the tight - but kind - grip she has on the student helpers. The students clearly love her, as a lot of the ones on site were her students in the past. 36 years after becoming a Baháʼí she is entrusted as Director of the Central American Temple. This role probably explains the tight grip and keen eye she maintains on her phone during our conversation. 

Aurora is noticeably happy to meet us and talk with us about the state of society and the community efforts we can all partake in. "I find that recently a lot of people want to do good, but don't know how to or how to connect to others.", she tells us with a mix of posititivy and concern in her voice. "Even some community leaders often struggle to 'lead' their people into helping others around them." Most important right now she considers inter-organization communication, and building a stronger network between the people.

A faith that braids differences together

From the principles of Baháʼí she certainly helps spreading love and kindness. Founded in the 19th century by the prophet Baháʼu’lláh, the faith was initially developed in Iran and other parts of the Middle-East - where it endures ongoing persecution, before spreading to Europe and The United States in the early 20th century. Central to the religion is the belief in one God, who systematically and gradually reveals religion to humanity through Manifestations of God, who are the founders of major world religions throughout history. The Buddha, Jesus, and Muhammad are noted as the most recent of these Manifestations before Baháʼu'lláh. Baháʼís view the world's major religions as essentially unified in their purpose, although they differ in social practices and interpretations. The Baháʼí Faith emphasizes the unity of all people as a core principle, explicitly rejecting racism, sexism, and nationalism. A central aim of Baháʼí teachings is to create a unified world order that ensures the prosperity of all nations, races, creeds, and classes. Click here to read more about the Baháʼí, their origins, and their believes.

“Our spiritual self is just as important as the physical self."”

Sundays, scriptures, and spirited debate

Every Sunday at 3pm the Baháʼís meet at the temple and read from scripture of their own holy book and those of other religions; like the Bible, Quran, Tora, Baghavat Ghita, and others. Once a month they host an open discussion on a topic free of choice by one of its members. These debates are important, also for the scripture of the faith. All writings are tested on the public before finalized, both on members and non-members, as a true testiment to the inclusivity and aim for unity. Important to Aurora are the sessions on spiritual development in children as well. "Our spiritual self is just as important as the physical self," she explains. Central in the sessions with the children are teachings of respect, honesty, and gratefulness.

"Donations are both a privilege and a debt, and we are not allowed to indebt ourselves to anyone, lest it create unwanted influence on our organization and teachings."

No strings attached

At El Latido Local we always emphasize on ways to help the heroes of our communities, and through her teachings of equality, eradicacion of prejudice, and universal harmony we definitely consider her and Baháʼís to be heroes. To help them you cannot donate money. Another key principle of the faith is complete independence, including political. "Donations are both a privilege and a debt, and we are not allowed to indebt ourselves to anyone, lest it create unwanted influence on our organization and teachings." You can help this beautiful community by visiting their temple, which is open to anyone for meditations, prayer, or to marvel at the intriguing and unique architecture. Not to forget the stunning vistas it offers of the city and its far-stretching suburbs. We highly recommend attending their Sunday readings and one of their monthly open debates as well!

Planning your climb

The temple is located in the district of San Miguelito, next to the metro station of San Isidro. The climb up the mountain is short but very steep and only recommended for the fittest among us. The Baháʼí offer a free shuttle bus to take you up and down, and taxis charge around $3 for a drop-off.

Are you a local community leader or motivated to help improve public discourse and promote acts of kindness? Reach out to Aurora to get together!

Happy Students Helping to Maintain the Temple Grounds