Short Answer
This encyclopedia entry offers a scholarly overview of the calendrical mechanics behind Cejna Êzî, the Yazidi New Year, juxtaposing Julian and Gregorian calculations while situating the ritual in its historical, liturgical, and regional contexts.
Cejna Êzî (Kurmanji: Cejna Êzî) is the annual Yazidi celebration marking the creation of the world and the arrival of spring, observed on the first Wednesday after 13 April in the Gregorian calendar.
| Key | Value |
|---|---|
| Kurmanji name | Cejna Êzî |
| Also written | Red Wednesday, Çarşema Sor |
| Category | Religious festival / New Year |
| Region | Sinjar (Iraq), Sheikhan (Iraq), Syria, Turkey, diaspora |
| Observed/Active | Annual, springtime |
| Primary sources | Yazidi oral qewl, Kitêba Cilwe, ethnographic reports |
Pronunciation & orthography
Kurmanji spelling: Cejna Êzî. Arabic script: جنا ئهزی. Cyrillic (Kurdish‑Soviet): Цежна Эзи. IPA: /ˈdʒɛjnɑ ˈeːzi/. Common English misspellings include “Cejna Ezî,” “Red Wednesday,” and “Charshama Sor.”
Main exposition
Calendrical basis
The Yazidi calendar is a 12‑month lunisolar system with a fixed epoch of 7,773 years as of 2023 CE, corresponding to year 6773 in Yazidi reckoning1. Each month begins with the sighting of the new moon, but the New Year is anchored to a solar event: the first Wednesday after 13 April (Gregorian) or its Julian equivalent.
Julian versus Gregorian computation
Before the Gregorian reform of 1582, the Yazidi community used the Julian calendar, which lags the Gregorian by 10 days in the 16th century and by 13 days in the 21st century due to accumulated leap‑year differences3. Modern scholars therefore convert historical dates using the standard Julian‑Gregorian tables (e.g., 13 April Julian = 23 April Gregorian in the 21st century). The conversion algorithm follows the rules outlined by Dershowitz & Reingold for absolute date calculations4.
Relation to Charshanbe Suri
Charshanbe Suri, the Iranian fire‑festival, occurs on the last Wednesday before Nōwrūz. In the Yazidi tradition this ritual evolved into Charshama Sor, celebrated after 13 April and detached from the old‑new‑year transition2. While Charshanbe Suri symbolizes purification, Charshama Sor emphasizes cosmogony and spring renewal.
Ritual practices
On Cejna Êzî, worshippers don traditional garments, light candles and paraffin lamps, and perform the “lighting of the fire” ceremony at sacred sites such as Lalish. The flames symbolize the primordial fire that created the universe1. The day is also marked by communal feasts, pilgrimages, and the recitation of specific qewl (sacred hymns).
In the oral tradition
Yazidi qewl collections contain verses that explicitly reference the New Year’s cosmological meaning. One frequently recited beyit states:
“On the day the sun rises red, the world is reborn; the Lord of the Universe lights the fire of life.”
This passage is transmitted orally by qewwal (hymn‑singers) and underscores the theological link between fire, creation, and renewal.
Scholarly disagreement
Kreyenbroek argues that the fixation on a Wednesday after 13 April is a post‑Ottoman adaptation designed to align Yazidi festivities with the dominant regional calendar, thereby facilitating communal cohesion2. In contrast, Açıkyıldız contends that the date reflects an ancient pre‑Islamic agrarian calendar tied to the vernal equinox, and that the “Wednesday” element is a later linguistic overlay rather than a calendrical necessity1.
Common misconceptions
Regional variation
In the Sinjar heartland, the New Year is marked by a large pilgrimage to the holy spring of Sheikhan, whereas in the diaspora (Germany, Sweden) the celebration is often held in community centers with adapted musical programs. Syrian Yazidis incorporate local Kurdish folk dances, while Turkish Yazidis may observe the ritual on the Julian calendar for historical continuity.
Timeline
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 12th c. | Earliest textual references to a spring fire rite in Yazidi oral tradition1 |
| 13th c. | Codification of the Yazidi calendar in the Kitêba Cilwe2 |
| 1582 | Gregorian reform; Julian‑Gregorian conversion becomes necessary for historical dating3 |
| 1990s | Mass displacement creates diaspora celebrations in Europe and North America1 |
| 2023 | Red Wednesday falls on 19 April, marking year 6773 in the Yazidi calendar1 |
Data table
| Region | 2023 Participants | Average Age |
|---|---|---|
| Sinjar (Iraq) | ≈ 45,0001 | 34 years2 |
| Sheikhan (Iraq) | ≈ 12,0001 | 31 years2 |
| Germany (diaspora) | ≈ 8,5001 | 28 years2 |
| Sweden (diaspora) | ≈ 4,2001 | 27 years2 |
FAQ
How are the dates for Cejna Êzî determined each year?
The New Year is fixed to the first Wednesday after 13 April in the Gregorian calendar. For historical dates recorded in the Julian calendar, scholars convert using standard Julian‑Gregorian conversion tables, accounting for the 13‑day discrepancy in the 21st century.
What sources support the calendar calculations presented here?
Primary evidence comes from Yazidi oral traditions (qewl) and the medieval text Kitêba Cilwe. Secondary analysis relies on scholarly works such as the Kurdish Center for Studies article on Red Wednesday and the academic study of Charshama Sor, as well as standard calendrical conversion references.
Is the Yazidi New Year the same as Iran’s Charshanbe Suri?
No. While both involve fire, Charshanbe Suri marks the eve of Nōwrūz and focuses on purification. Charshama Sor, the Yazidi counterpart, occurs after 13 April and celebrates creation and spring renewal, a distinction highlighted in recent comparative research.
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