Chaharshanbe Suri

Common card · No. 471389

Chaharshanbeh Suri or Charshanbeh Suri or Chahar-shanbe suri (Persian: چهارشنبه‌سوری, romanized: Čahāršanbe suri, pronounced čāršambe suri; lit. 'The Scarlet Wednesday' or 'Feast of the last Wednesday of the year'), is an Iranian festival of the fire dance celebrated on the eve of the last Wednesday of the year, of ancient Zoroastrian origin. Since the event takes place in the final week of the year, it can also be regarded as a prelude to the New Year celebration of Nowruz. At the center of the holiday are rituals about purification and renewal that mark the transition from winter to spring. The most important custom is the lighting of bonfires in yards, village squares, city streets, rooftops, and hilltops. People jump over the flames while saying the phrase "your redness for my paleness". The idea behind this is that the fire takes away illness, weakness and bad luck, and instead gives people strength and energy. Other traditions take place during the evening. One is "spoon-banging...

Read on Wikipedia · Image unknown author, CC BY-SA 4.0