(16 Apr 2025)
IRAQ YAZIDI NEW YEAR
SOURCE: ASSOCIATED PRESS
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:
LENGTH: 2:41
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Lalish, Iraq – 15 April 2025
1. Woman in traditional attire celebrating Yazidi New Year in Lalish, some women cheering
2. Various of Yazidi community members gathering for New Year celebrations, some holding flames
3. Yazidi women lighting wicks in keeping with tradition
4. People holding stones with burning wicks
5. Yazidi men holding candles
6. SOUNDBITE (Kurdish) Hala Selo, Yazidi woman celebrating the New Year:
"Today, all the Yazidis are coming to the holy temple of Lalish. They light wicks as an indication of a new hope, a new day and a new year. And they ask God for a happy and a blessed year. So, I ask God to bring a good and a happy year to all of the Yazidis, all people and to every human being with a good soul."
7. Various of Yazidis in traditional attire gathering at holy site in Lalish
8. Members of Yazidi community on terrace watching the celebration
9. Members of community walking through stone corridor of temple
10. SOUNDBITE (Kurdish) Luqman Suleiman, Yazidi journalist in Lalesh:
“Since ancient times, nations in the Middle East and especially in Mesopotamia have welcomed the month of April. And each community specifies a certain day to celebrate it. Yazidis call it the New Year feast, Babylonians call it Akitu feast and Sumerians name it Zigmag feast. And because of the sacred month of April, the Yazidis don’t marry in April. They say that April itself is the bride of the year.”
11. Various of Yazidis celebrating New Year, some holding ceremonial flames
12. Burning wick on stone
13. Members of Yazidi community gathering at holy site
14. SOUNDBITE (Kurdish) No name given, woman who made a trip from Germany to take part in celebrations:
"I congratulate everyone for this festival. I came from Germany after a long time. After 13 years, I came to participate in the Charshama Sur Eid (New Year) and to visit my village of Srechka. I also came to baptize my daughter."
15. Various of Yazidis in traditional attire celebrating New Year
16. Yazidi holy shrine
STORYLINE:
Hundreds of Yazidis celebrated the start of their new year at the holy shrine of Lalish in Iraq’s Nineveh governorate.
Yazidis lit candles in a festive mood at the site of the revered shrine to mark the start of their New Year.
"Today, all the Yazidis are coming to the holy temple of Lalish. They light wicks as an indication of a new hope, a new day and a new year," said Hala Selo, a Yazidi woman who took part in the celebration.
The celebration on Tuesday marked the year 6773 on the Yazidi calendar.
According to Yazidi belief, this days is also the anniversary of the creation of the planet and the day the Lalish holy shrine, the religion’s most important temple and pilgrimage route, was created.
Yazidi journalist Luqman Suleiman said April is such a sacred month for the Yazidis, that no weddings are held throughout the month.
"The Yazidis don’t marry in April. They say that April itself is the bride of the year," he said.
The Yazidis believe that a supreme being created the world, but does not rule it.
Instead, his will is carried out by seven angels, chief among them the Peacock Angel, known as Malak Taus.
Yazidis pray to Malak Taus, who is also known as the Fallen Angel.
But unlike fallen angels in some Christian traditions, who are banished from heaven, the Peacock Angel was redeemed.
More than 10 years later, many followers of the minority faith are still missing.
AP video shot by Mohammed Habib
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