Yazidi communities in Iraq are marking the arrival of Çarşema Sor today, the most important date in the Yazidi religious calendar. The festival signals the beginning of the new year and is observed by followers of Yazidism, a monotheistic religion with ancient roots across Mesopotamia.
In Iraq, Yazidis are largely concentrated in the Sinjar region and parts of the Niveneh plains, with additional communities throughout the Kurdistan region.
Falling each year on the first Wednesday of the Julian calendar, celebrations centre on visits to religious sites, lighting candles, decorating homes with tulips and painting eggs. The new year is viewed as a time of renewal and a celebration of the arrival of spring.
This year, however, celebrations in Iraq have been somewhat subdued, with the Yazidi Supreme Spiritual Council this week announcing the suspension of formal religious ceremonies at the Lalish temple, Yazidism’s most revered holy site.
In a statement, the council said “these decisions come in response to the current situation and instability in Iraq, the Kurdistan Region, and the region in general.”
Nevertheless, Yazidi communities, both in northern Iraq and across the diaspora, will be gathering for meals and taking part in prayers throughout the day.
Images of the 2024 celebrations at Lalish can be found below:
- Published: 15th April, 2026
- Location: Lalish
- Country: Iraq
- Editor: Ben McInerny
- Photographer: Ali Hilal
- Category: Heritage
