The Yazidi Supreme Spiritual Council has announced the suspension of Yazidi New Year celebrations, citing the current situation in Kurdistan and the wider region.

Charshema Sor (Red Wednesday) is a sacred annual holiday marking the beginning of spring and the creation of the world. The occasion is also observed as an official public holiday by the Kurdistan Regional Government.

Ceremony Suspended, Media Banned at Lalish

The council said in a statement on Monday that Mir Hazim Tahsin Beg, spiritual leader of the Yezidis, has decided to suspend all ceremonies of Charshema Sor for this year after consultation.

The council also resolved to ban all media channels from inside the Lalish Temple.

Decisions Respond to Regional Instability

“These decisions come in response to the current situation and instability in Iraq, the Kurdistan Region, and the region in general,” the statement clarified.

Community Celebrates New Year at Lalish with Traditional Rituals

The Yazidi community is one of the oldest and most resilient groups in the Kurdistan Region and the world. Their identity is a unique blend of ancient Mesopotamian roots, a distinct monotheistic faith, and a history marked by both deep tragedy and incredible survival.

Marking the Yazidi New Year, worshippers celebrate on the first Wednesday of the Eastern (Julian) calendar with traditional rituals and vibrant attire at Lalish Temple, their holiest site. 

The festivities commence on Tuesday as families visit ancestral graves and decorate their homes in preparation for the new year. Central to the observance is a sacred ceremony at Lalish, where the Baba Sheikh lights 365 oil lamps to symbolize each day of the year. 

A hallmark of the holiday is the dyeing of boiled eggs—a practice representing the creation and renewal of the Earth by the Peacock Angel, Melek Taus.