Zoroastrian feast held in archeological site

The ceremony is celebrated in mid-August every year to worship and recite prayers to Ahura Mazda, the Zoroastrian god.

The participants commemorate water, fire, soil, and wind. During the ceremony, the archeological site is closed to tourists.

The originally fortified site was recognized as a World Heritage Site in July 2003. The citadel includes the remains of a Zoroastrian fire temple built during the Sassanid period.

Religious minorities in Iran freely perform their rituals, among which are Zoroastrian Gahanbar and Christian Badarak at Qara Kelisa Church (meaning Black Church in Azeri) in Chaldoran, West Azarbaijan Province.

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