Viewing archives for Zoroastrian

11th – 20th March 2025 (Iranian Zoroastrian)

6th – 15th July 2025 (Kadmi)

5th – 14th August 2025 (Shahenshai)

The Fravardigan festival (the festival of the fravashis), popularly known as Muktad (All Souls), commences ten days before NoRuz and is the last festival of the old year. The Zoroastrian day commences at sunrise and not midnight, and so during sunrise on the first day of the festival the immortal souls, together with their fravashis (the guardian spirits of departed ancestors, artistically depicted as half man/half bird), are welcomed by name by the Zoroastrian Mobeds or Magi (priests).

For ten days they reside in the place of worship, hovering around a table full of metal vases, each specifically earmarked for an individual family and containing white flowers. They leave the physical world after the last ceremony, held on the tenth evening, but before the dawn of NoRuz. The designated priest – as a farewell gesture – will then empty the water from one of the metal vases, which he will also turn upside down, signifying that it is time for the immortal souls and the fravashis to return to the spiritual world.

Theologically Fravardigan is the most important Zoroastrian festival after NoRuz, and, since it deals with one’s departed ancestors, many Zoroastrians regard it to be their holiest festival. This linking of the past with the present and the future is typical of much of Zoroastrian life.

During these ten days Zoroastrians often take time off from work, pray extensively, recite the five Gathas (hymns composed by Zarathushtra) and ensure their houses are thoroughly cleaned. They prepare daily samples of sacred food enjoyed by their departed ancestors while still alive, and take these to the place of worship, to be tasted by them during the daily ceremonies. This ritually consecrated food, along with chosen fruits, is then shared by the living in the special Hamaspathmaidyem Gahambar, a communal feast celebrated after the ceremony is over.

15th August 2025 Zoroastrian (Kadmi)

16th July 2025 Zoroastrian (Kadmi)

New Year’s Day on the Shenshai Calendar. In the tenth century a group of Zoroastrians fled from Iran and were given religious sanctuary by the Hindus of Western India, where they became known as Parsis (or Persians). During the twentieth century the Zoroastrians of Iran have revised their calendar to take account of the leap year, while the Parsis of India have continued following the traditional imperial or Shenshai calendar. By the twentieth century the Parsis of India had become the largest group in the world to practise Zoroastrianism, and in the twenty first century over 95% of Zoroastrians in the UK are Parsis. Like their Indian counterparts, they celebrate two new years – giving more time for making merry! 

1st September 2025

Zoroastrian (Shenshai;  Parsi)

On the day of Fravardin, the 19th day of the month of Fravardin, the first month of the year, Zoroastrians visit the vicinity of the Towers of Silence in India (or in the UK the Zoroastrian Cemetery in Brookwood, Surrey) to participate in a jashan ceremony in memory of the departed fravashis (guardian spirits and souls of the community). Sacred food is prepared as an offering to the departed during the jashan and is later shared by the participants.

1st October 2025

Zoroastrian

Jashn-e Mehergan is an Autumn festival, and like NoRuz its origins have been lost in antiquity. Mehergan is dedicated to the divinity Meher or Mithra, who is associated with the sun and with justice. The ripening of the crops and fruits at this time of the year is seen as symbolic of the ripening of the world into fullness, before the moment of the ultimate victory over evil. It evokes the physical resurrection of the body along with its immortal soul, as promised by the Lord, Ahura Mazda.

It is customary at this time to visit the Fire Temple to offer thanks to the Creator God, to participate in a jashan or thanksgiving ceremony, to listen to stories of King Faridoon’s triumphant capture of the evil Zohak, and to share in a special community meal. For this celebration, the participants wear new clothes and prepare a decorative, colourful table. The sides of the tablecloth are festooned with dry wild marjoram. On the table are placed a copy of the Khordeh Avesta (the ‘little Avesta), a mirror and a sormeh-dan (a traditional eyeliner or kohl), together with rosewater, sweets, flowers, vegetables and fruits, (pomegranates and apples), and nuts such as almonds or pistachios. A few silver coins and lotus seeds are set in a dish of water, scented with extract of marjoram.

A burner is also part of the table setting, ready for frankincense and seeds of Syrian rue   to be thrown on the flames. At lunch time, when the ceremony begins, everyone in the family stands in front of the mirror to pray. Sherbet is drunk and then – as a good omen –kohl is applied around the eyes. Handfuls of wild marjoram, lotus and sugar plum seeds are thrown over one another’s heads while they embrace each other. The meal concludes with an appropriate drink, dancing and merrymaking.

Mehregan is an Iranian festival and is celebrated in honour of Mithra, the angel of covenants, and hence of interpersonal relationships such as friendship, affection and love. He is the greatest of the Yazats (angels), and is an angel of light, associated with the sun (but distinct from it), and with legal contracts. Mithra is also a common noun in the Avesta meaning ‘contract’. He is said to have a thousand ears and ten-thousand eyes.

Mithra figures prominently in the writings of other religions too. He is mentioned in the Rig Veda over 200 times, where the Sun is said to be the eye of Mithra. In the angelology of Jewish mysticism, as the result of Zoroastrian influence, Mithra appears as Metatron, the highest of the angels. He appeared as Mithras, god of the Mithraic religion popular among the Roman military. He is also mentioned in Manichaeism and in Buddhist texts. Mehregan, Tiragan, and Norooz, were the only Zoroastrian feasts to be mentioned in the Talmud, which is an indication of their popularity – and his. 

16th July 2025 Zoroastrian (Kadmi)

15th August 2025 Zoroastrian (Shenshai-Parsi)

New Year’s Day on the Shenshai Calendar. In the tenth century a group of Zoroastrians fled from Iran and were given religious sanctuary by the Hindus of Western India, where they became known as Parsis (or Persians). During the twentieth century the Zoroastrians of Iran have revised their calendar to take account of the leap year, while the Parsis of India have continued following the traditional imperial or Shenshai calendar. By the twentieth century the Parsis of India had become the largest group in the world to practise Zoroastrianism, and in the twenty first century over 95% of Zoroastrians in the UK are Parsis. Like their Indian counterparts, they celebrate two new years – giving more time for making merry!

21st July 2025 Zoroastrian (Kadmi)

25^th March 2025 Zoroastrian (Iranian)

20th August 2025 Zoroastrian (Shenshai)

The Birthday of Zarathushtra, one of the most important Zoroastrian festivals. Khordad means perfection and although the actual date of his birth cannot be accurately identified, the festival of Khordad Sal symbolically celebrates the birthday of Prophet Zarathushtra and falls on the sixth day following NoRuz.

Khordad means perfection, and it is customary on this day to visit the Fire Temple to give thanks to Ahura Mazda, the Persian name for the one God, for giving humanity the ideal gift of the Prophet Zarathushtra. His followers participate in a jashan or thanksgiving ceremony; listen to stories of his miraculous birth and life; and then celebrate with a lavish community meal, a drink and a dance.

On Khordad Sal Parsis clean their houses, hang torans of fresh flowers in the doorways, and create designs made of chalk on the floors (called rangoli). They wear new clothes, cook traditional foods, exchange gifts and salute each other with the greeting: Khordad Sal Mubarak!. Prayers are offered and are followed by festive parties to give thanks for and celebrate the soul that evinced a philosophy of life that is both giving and fulfilling.

Zarathustra’s ideas (monotheism tempered by belief in the Devil, the struggle between Good and Evil, a final judgement) greatly influenced today’s major world religions, particularly Judaism, Christianity, Islam and the Baha’i tradition. The Zoroastrian faith has endured many hardships, the most significant being the invasion into Iran by Alexander and later, the Arab conquest of Iran. Though greatly diminished in numbers, Zarathustra’s followers have continued to honour his revolutionary teachings for over 3000 years.

Parsi families come together during the festivities that are put on during Khordad Sal – if families are unable to be together then prayers are offered for those who are not in attendance. It is an important celebration for the Parsi community, and because family (and community) is central to the themes of Zoroastrianism, guests are invited to participate in the festivities. Parsis also take the time during Khordad Sal to be introspective. They look at ways in which they can improve the lives of others and themselves. 

5th – 14th August 2025 (Shahenshai)

11th – 20th March 2025 (Iranian Zoroastrian)

6th – 15th July 2025 (Kadmi)

Zoroastrian

The Fravardigan festival (the festival of the fravashis), popularly known as Muktad (All Souls), commences ten days before NoRuz and is the last festival of the old year. The Zoroastrian day commences at sunrise and not midnight, and so during sunrise on the first day of the festival the immortal souls, together with their fravashis (the guardian spirits of departed ancestors, artistically depicted as half man/half bird), are welcomed by name by the Zoroastrian Mobeds or Magi (priests).

For ten days they reside in the place of worship, hovering around a table full of metal vases, each specifically earmarked for an individual family and containing white flowers. They leave the physical world after the last ceremony, held on the tenth evening, but before the dawn of NoRuz. The designated priest – as a farewell gesture – will then empty the water from one of the metal vases, which he will also turn upside down, signifying that it is time for the immortal souls and the fravashis to return to the spiritual world.

Theologically Fravardigan is the most important Zoroastrian festival after NoRuz, and, since it deals with one’s departed ancestors, many Zoroastrians regard it to be their holiest festival. This linking of the past with the present and the future is typical of much of Zoroastrian life.

During these ten days Zoroastrians often take time off from work, pray extensively, recite the five Gathas (hymns composed by Zarathushtra) and ensure their houses are thoroughly cleaned. They prepare daily samples of sacred food enjoyed by their departed ancestors while still alive, and take these to the place of worship, to be tasted by them during the daily ceremonies. This ritually consecrated food, along with chosen fruits, is then shared by the living in the special Hamaspathmaidyem Gahambar, a communal feast celebrated after the ceremony is over.