Iranians celebrate ancient Persian fire fest

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http://news./s/ap/20100131/ap_on_re_mi_ea/ml_iran_zoroastrian_festival

 

CHAM, Iran – Thousands of Iranians gathered at dusk against a snowy mountain

backdrop to light giant bonfires in an ancient mid-winter festival dating back

to Iran's pre-Islamic past that is drawing new interest from Muslims.

 

Saturday's celebration was the first in which the dwindling remnants of Iran's

once plentiful Zoroastrian religious minority were joined by thousands of

Muslims, reflecting a growing interest in the strict Islamic society for the

country's ancient traditions.

 

The festival, known as Sadeh, celebrates the discovery of fire and its ability

to banish the cold and dark, and it is held in the frigid depths of winter.

 

Sadeh was the national festival of ancient Persia when Zoroastrianism was the

dominant religion, before the conquest of Islam in the 7th century. Now it is

mostly celebrated just in the homes and temples of Iran's 60,000 remaining

Zoroastrians.

 

Recently, however, there has been an upsurge of interest among Iranian Muslims —

more than 90 percent of the population — in their ancient heritage, when vast

Persian empires held sway over much of central Asia and fought Greek warriors

and Roman legions.

 

" I'm proud of Sadeh because it is part of Iran's cultural heritage, " said

Mohammed Saleh Khalili, a Muslim Iranian who traveled from Meibod, a town in

central Iran, to join the celebrations. " Once it was a national festival and for

centuries it has been restricted to Zoroastrians but there is no reason why

Muslim Iranians shouldn't celebrate the event. "

 

Zoroastrianism is a monotheistic religion predating Christianity and Islam and

is believed to have influenced those faiths — and Judaism as well — being one of

the first religions with a strong notion of good and evil.

 

Zoroastrians believe they must fight evil through good deeds, words and

thoughts, including charity and service. Fire plays a central role in worship as

a symbol of truth and the spirit of God. Prayer is often performed in front of a

fire, and consecrated fires are kept perpetually burning in major temples.

 

The religion was founded in ancient Persia about 3,000 years ago, according to

some scholarly estimates, by Zarathustra, or Zoroaster, whom the faith considers

a prophet.

 

lokah samastah sukhino bhavantu ! om santi santi santihi !

Amma Bless All !