The Life and Legacy of the First Colombian Baha’i

In the mid-20th century, Colombia experienced a spiritual shift as the teachings of the Baha’i Faith began to spread throughout the country. 

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At the heart of this historic development was Aura María Bernal de Sánchez, the first Colombian to declare her belief in the Baha’i teachings, inspiring countless souls to follow in her footsteps. Learn about her life and legacy.

Aura María Bernal de Sánchez’s Upbringing, Family, and Introduction to the Baha’i Faith

Aura María Bernal was born on June 18, 1899, in Bogotá, Colombia. For 12 years, she received a strict religious education at a Catholic convent school. Alongside her sister Juanita Bernal, she studied nursing, preparing herself for her career as a nurse and midwife.

In 1930, Aura married Luis Augusto Sánchez Cuervo in 1930, and they had two kids — Luis and Gloria. Little did their children know how much their lives would be transformed by their parents’ spiritual search.

Aura’s husband was a freethinker who was open to exploring a variety of spiritual movements and philosophies, affiliated with Theosophy and the Rosicrucian school. Aura often accompanied her husband to the activities of the different associations he was involved in.

It was at a Theosophical meeting where Aura and Luis were introduced to the Baha’i Faith, a world religion centered around oneness — one God, one human race, and one progressive divine revelation. As Baha’u’llah, the prophet and founder of the Baha’i Faith, wrote:

The fundamental purpose animating the Faith of God and His Religion is to safeguard the interests and promote the unity of the human race, and to foster the spirit of love and fellowship amongst men.

In 1942, a Canadian Baha’i of German ancestry spoke about the Faith to the Theosophical group while visiting on one of his business trips, inspiring Luis and Aura to invite him to their home. From then on, they met every week to talk about the Baha’i teachings.

At one of these meetings, he gave the couple the book “Bahá’u’lláh and the New Era” — the sole Baha’i book available in Spanish at the time. Aura began to read this book and asked questions at the weekly talks.

Aura María Bernal de Sánchez’s Life as the First Colombian Baha’i

In 1942, Aura became the first Colombian Baha’i, and her husband, Luis, followed suit, declaring his belief months later.

Sadly, sometimes, people make fun of what seems different and unfamiliar to them. Aura was no exception and faced shock and ridicule from those around her for being the first Colombian Baha’i. However, she refused to let this mockery deter her, following the advice of Abdu’l-Baha, one of the central figures of the Baha’i Faith, who said in a 1912 talk in New York:

​Let not your heart be offended with anyone. If someone commits an error and wrong toward you, you must instantly forgive him.

So, she continued to share the revolutionary teachings of the Baha’i Faith with everyone around her, including the eradication of all forms of prejudice, the elimination of the extremes of wealth and poverty, the equality of women and men, the agreement of science and religion, the truth and oneness of all religions, the independent investigation of truth, and the importance of a universal language and education.

Several of her friends embraced the Baha’i Faith, and the number of Baha’is quickly grew, allowing them to elect the first Local Spiritual Assembly in Colombia.

Local Spiritual Assemblies are composed of nine elected members in a Baha’i community who, as Abdu’l-Baha described, focus their discussions on “spiritual matters that pertain to the training of souls, the instruction of children, the relief of the poor, the help of the feeble throughout all classes in the world, kindness to all peoples, the diffusion of the fragrances of God and the exaltation of His Holy Word.”

A 1954 letter written on behalf of Shoghi Effendi, the Guardian of the Baha’i Faith, states:

When a person becomes a Bahá’í, actually what takes place is that the seed of the spirit starts to grow in the human soul. This seed must be watered by the outpourings of the Holy Spirit. These gifts of the spirit are received through prayer, meditation, study of the Holy Utterances and service to the Cause of God.

“From the first moment of her life as a Bahá’í, her orientation and guidance were the Sacred Teachings, her behaviour exemplified simplicity, humility, and determined collaboration, both within and outside the community,” wrote the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha’is of Colombia.

“Parallel to teaching the Faith, she devoted her best efforts to the education of her two children, giving them the responsibility of demonstrating ‘a model of Bahá’í life.’”

During the 1950s, Aura and her daughter Gloria traveled throughout Colombia, sharing the unifying message of the Baha’i Faith in regions like Santander and La Guajira. By 1960, she relocated to Manizales to establish a Local Spiritual Assembly there to help achieve the goal of electing Colombia’s first National Spiritual Assembly at Riḍván 1961. Her hard work paid off.

In her memoriam, the National Spiritual Assembly of the Baha’is of Colombia wrote: 

She always had deep conviction in the truth of Baha’u’llah and His Teachings, and was surrounded with the feeling of service. The last 15 years of her life were devoted to the care of the Bahá’í Center, and whoever entered into that house received affection and attention from her, in one way or another.

Everyone who met her called her ‘Mamita.’ Until the last moment of her life, she counselled her family to be firm and constant, emphasising that the only real and enduring things are noble and pure acts in service to the Kingdom and to humanity.

She passed away peacefully on August 15, 1986, at her son’s home in Bogotá. Today, there are more than 30,000 Baha’is in Colombia. Let’s honor Aura María Bernal de Sánchez’s role in paving the way for generations to come.