His Majesty Malietoa Tanumafili II, Samoa’s Head of State, died in hospital on the evening of 11th May at the age of 95.
He was the oldest serving head of state in the world, and also the only living monarch who was a member of the Bahá’í Faith.
Malietoa Tanumafili II was born on the 4th January 1912 and became the King of Western Samoa in 1939.
In 1962 Samoa gained independence from New Zealand and he became Samoa’s joint Head of State with Tupua Tamasese Mea’ole, who passed away the following year leaving Malietoa as the sole head of state up until his own passing.
Below is a photo of the Samoan Bahá’í House of Worship [BWNS]
Malietoa Tanumafili II was the only monarch to have officially been known as a Baha’i.
The title of first Baha’i monarch is often given to Queen Marie of Romania, a queen from 1914 to 1938, who was known to be a strong supporter of the Baha’i Faith and made a few public statements to that affect, including: “If ever the name of Bahá’u’lláh or ‘Abdu’l-Bahá comes to your attention, do not put their writings from you. Search out their Books, and let their glorious, peace-bringing, love-creating words and lessons sink into your hearts as they have into mine.”