From Bahaitext

Announcement of the Acceptance of the Faith by His Highness Malietoa Tanumafili II of Western Samoa

7 May 1973

To the Baha'is of the world

Dear Baha'i friends,

130.1 It is now possible to share with you all the news of an event which crowns the victories with which Baha'u'llah has blessed His followers during the Nine Year Plan, an event of which the true significance will be fully understood only in the course of centuries to come: a reigning monarch has accepted the Message of Baha'u'llah.

130.2 Among those to whom The Proclamation of Baha'u'llah was presented in 1967 was His Highness Malietoa Tanumafili II, the Head of State of the independent nation of Western Samoa in the heart of the Pacific Ocean.+F285 His Highness, who had already heard of the Faith, showed immediately that the sacred Words had touched his heart, and the Universal House of Justice thereupon asked the Hand of the Cause Dr Ugo Giachery, who had presented the book to him, to return to Western Samoa for further audiences with His Highness. Following this visit the Malietoa conveyed his acceptance of the Faith of Baha'u'llah to the Universal House of Justice and became the first reigning sovereign to enter beneath the shade of this Cause. [F285. In its Ridvan 1967 message (no. 42) the Universal House of Justice announced that it would present to Heads of State around the world a collection of Tablets Baha'u'llah addressed to the kings and rulers of the world a century before. His Highness Malietoa Tanumafili II was one of the recipients.]

130.3 His Highness decided, with the full agreement of the Universal House of Justice, that it was not propitious to make his declaration public at that time. He has been visited from time to time by Hands of the Cause and other believers, and continual touch with His Highness has been maintained by the House of Justice through Mr Suhayl 'Ala'i, a member of the Continental Board of Counsellors for Australasia. Gradually the Malietoa has let it be known to those around him that he has accepted Baha'u'llah. Now he has judged the time ripe to share this wondrous news with his fellow-believers in all parts of the world, by addressing to the International Baha'i Convention the gracious and inspiring message of which a copy is enclosed with this letter....+F286 [F286. See BW 15:183 for a photograph of the Malietoa's letter.]

With loving Baha'i greetings, The Universal House of Justice