Arriving in Haifa in January 1937 with her mother, the two began a brief and discreet courtship. In February, the couple were engaged, and Mary cabled her father to come as soon as he could to Haifa. On March 24, at the age of 26, Mary married Shoghi Effendi in a low-key ceremony.[13] It was at this time that Shoghi Effendi entitled her "Amatu'l-Bahá Rúhíyyih Khánum" (Amatu'l-Bahá means "Handmaiden of Glory".)