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GLOSSARY
Festival of Joy
Occurrences: 3 / 1*
First Reference: 7th Endowment 2:17
Let this then be the first and foremost celebration of all your years to come. For it is appointed that on the nineteenth day of June shall you establish the Festival of Joy in commemoration of that day when God and Heaven did reveal themselves to Azrael whereby he might set at liberty the children of God.
Refer to: 7th Endowment 2:17-62
Summary: In the 7th Endowment, Heavenly Mother appoints the celebration of four festivals which coincide with the solstices and equinoxes of each year. The Festival of Joy is deemed the first and foremost celebration of the year, to be recognized on the summer solstice over a period of four days and three nights, beginning on the nineteenth day of June.
The Festival of Joy presents three reasons for celebration: the coming forth of God and Heaven to Archie D. Wood, Sr. (aka Azrael) on June 19, 1979; the appointment of Azrael to be a teacher of heavenly things; and the coming forth of the Song of God (7:2:61).
The Fellowship is encouraged to gather and dwell in tents in “wild and open places, in high meadows beside lakes and streams” (7:2:20, 34). The first day of celebration (June 19) is appointed to commemorate the day in which God revealed themselves to Azrael. The second day of the festival takes place on the day of summer solstice, and is appointed to be a celebration of the Song of God book and the divine gift of light it represents (7:2:35-38).
Other festivals include: the Festival of Harvest and Thanksgiving, the Festival of Lights, and the Festival of Lovers.
Notes/References:
* The “Festival of Joy” is mentioned in the 4th Endowment as the day in which Kaseah the Beautiful accepted the position of leadership over the seventh dispensation and addressed the General Assembly for the first time (4:29:16). The summer solstice celebration established earlier by mother Evelah was originally called the “Festival of the Family” (4:7:63).