Jashn-e Sadeh, bachā!
Yesterday this Zoroastrian festival was celebrated and here we come, to bring you a brief insight into its history!
#Sadeh #Iran #Zoroastrianism

Here's a thread!

Sadeh is a traditional Iranian festivity that celebrates the closeness of the New Year, Nowrūz. It marks the countdown for 50 days and 50 nights before the year finishes and starts again. In fact, its name in Persian means "hundred" from those numbers combined.

Its origins can be traced back to the Achaemenid Empire. However, this festival is attributed to the legendary king Hūshang and his 'accidental' discovery of fire. You can listen to the story here, on Twitch! https://www.twitch.tv/videos/652313462

Like in other Zoroastrian celebrations and in the Zoroastrian liturgy in general, fire plays a key role. It's the spark of life, the breath of movement, the flame that can be found in all living things. It's the light chasing away the shadows.

This festival also symbolised the passage to adulthood for the youngsters. Teenage boys (probably accompanied by a few adults) would venture into the wild to retrieve thorns and wood for the pyres that would be burned later.

The pyres would be places close to the temples, as a sign of Atar, the Sacred Fire, assisting Mithra, the Sun, in his fight against the Winter Spirits. Here come the Yazatas, baby!

The fires would be burning all night. The morning after, the embers would be taken from the giant fires into the houses, symbolising a part of that sacred flame was now protecting its inhabitants. Mithra and Atar are the deities you want by your side in case the Daevas strike!

Sidenote: the Daevas are the spirits that assist Angra Mainyu or the spirit of Darkness. In this case, in Winter, they are in charge of snow, frost, cold and wind.

Sadeh symbolises the effort of humankind to aid Mithra in his return for the New Year, and also another spirit with much age and strength, one of these primordial deities, that was lying underground and would rise in the equinox. We'll talk about them some other day.

Further reading:
· Khalesi and Javidnejat, "Good and Evil in Ancient Persian Festivals: an Analytical Psychology Approach", 2012
· https://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/sada-festival

May the Fires burn high or you, bachā. And remember... there are only 50 days and 50 nights until #Nowruz !

End of the thread

Perhaps of the interest of @rZoroastrianism @iranstudiesUK @sasanianshah @eranudturan @DGMcs82 @nosoyross @AIS_1967 @SeleucoI @Pisistrato4 @IiAssur @CriticaLectura