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The acceptance of this petition-- an act of tremendous significance and wholly unprecedented in the history of the Faith in any country-- according official recognition by the civil authorities to marriage certificates issued by the representatives of the local community, the validity of which the official representative of the Persian Government in Palestine has tacitly recognized, was followed by a series of decisions exempting from government tax all properties and institutions regarded by the Baha'i community as holy sites, or dedicated to the Tombs of its Founders at its world center. Moreover, through these decisions, all articles serving as ornaments or furniture for the Baha'i shrines were exempted from customs duties, and the branches of both the American and Indian Baha'i National Spiritual Assemblies were enabled to function as "religious societies," in accordance with the laws of the country, and to hold and administer property as agents of these Assemblies.
(369:2)
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