Yazidis follow the Julian calendar for liturgical observances, a practice rooted in historical synchrony with regional Christian and Islamic calendars and reinforced by oral tradition. The choice reflects both astronomical continuity and communal identity, as documented by Yazidis.info and scholarly research.
Çarşema Sor, also known as Red Wednesday, marks the Yazidi New Year and the commencement of the sacred spring season. Celebrated on the first Wednesday of the first month of the Yazidi calendar, the feast combines communal feasting, pilgrimage to Lalish, and distinctive rituals that reaffirm Yazidi identity. Yazidis.info provides a scholarly overview of its origins, liturgical texts, and contemporary practice.
Cejna Cemayê, also known as the Seven‑Day Feast of the Assembly, is the most important Yazidi pilgrimage held annually at the holy shrine of Lalish. Over seven days, Yazidis gather for rituals, feasting, and communal renewal, reinforcing religious identity and social cohesion.
The Yazidi pilgrimage to Lalish, known as the Ziyara Lalîşê, draws hundreds of thousands of believers each year to the sacred valley in northern Iraq. Pilgrims perform ablutions, circumambulate holy sites, and participate in communal prayers, reinforcing communal identity and devotion to Melek Taus.
Batizmî, the Yazidi baptism performed at the sacred White Spring (Siyara Spî), is a rite of purification and communal affirmation. The ceremony blends ancient oral tradition with localized ritual practice and remains a cornerstone of Yazidi religious life today.
Yazidi funeral and mourning practices combine ritual purification, communal lamentation, and specific burial customs that reflect the community’s belief in the soul’s journey. These rites are documented in oral qewl poetry and codified in Yazidi religious texts.
Tawûsgeran is the annual Yazidi procession in which the sacred Peacock Standard (Tawûs) is carried from villages to the holy shrine of Lalish. The ritual reinforces communal identity, affirms the authority of the spiritual hierarchy, and embodies core Yazidi theological concepts.
Yazidi marriage customs blend ancient oral tradition with community‑mediated contracts, featuring distinct betrothal, ceremony, and post‑wedding rituals. This entry details terminology, regional variation, and scholarly perspectives, drawing on peer‑reviewed sources.
The Ezid Fast (Sêwêra Êzîdî) is a three‑day period of abstention observed annually by Yazidis. It marks the spiritual preparation for the New Year and is governed by precise timing, dietary prohibitions, and theological symbolism.
Cejna Ezî, the Feast of Ezid, is the most important Yazidi religious celebration, commemorating the divine figure Ezid and the renewal of the cosmic order. Occurring annually on the first Friday of October, it blends ritual pilgrimage, communal meals, and sacred music.