Fire in Avesta*1 has a special role because it is the symbol of life and love. The ancient Iranians burned a fire at all their festivities, and they worshiped Ahuramazda*2 on this pretext. However, the most important ceremony in which they paid homage to their God used to be “Sadeh”. They believed that at this time, the hardest days of the cold season are gone, so everyone gathered in the plain and desert and created a large body of thorns and firewood and lit it up. Since everyone collaborated in lighting the fire, the Sadeh was a celebration of union and participation of the people. Sadeh celebration in Yazd and Taft city every year held on the tenth day of Bahman. The ceremony began with reading Gathas*3 of the Zarathustra and continues with minstrelsy and Shahnameh*4 readings, and then the fire starts and Sadeh becomes one of the most spectacular rituals of Iranians.

1: religious texts of Zoroastrianism
2: the creator and sole God of Zoroastrianism
3: The Gathas are known as the “Divine Songs of Zarathustra”
4: the national epic poem of Iran

***The images for sadeh ceremony are taken from Yazdemrooz and Mehr Agency