Deygan, Maidyarem: Light Defeat Darkness

The winter solstice occurs exactly when the Earth´s axial tilt is farthest away from the Sun at its maximum of 23°26´. More evident in high latitudes, this occurs on the shortest day and longest night of the year. In the high latitudes this events occurs in December 21 or 22. Worldwide, interpretation on the event has varied from culture to culture.

Must of the cultures have held a recognition of rebirth. In this article I will introduce, perhaps, the culture responsible for origin this celebration, the Zoroastrian.

North Hemisphere Winter Solstice

Zoroastrians celebrate the winter solstice as a triumph of good over evil as nights begin to shorten as the time of daylight lengthens. This Celebration is commonly known as "Yalda" or "Shab-e Yalda."

The celebration was originally known as "Sheb-e Cheleh", and this term is still used interchangeably with Shab-e Yalda. Fire and light are strongly associated with goodness and Ahura Mazda (God), while darkness is associated with Angra Mainyu, the destructive spirit against whom Zoroastrians struggle. The Solstice was thus seen as the height of Angra Mainyu´s power, after which it wanes in the face of the growing light of Ahura Mazda.

Ahura Mazda, Zoroastrianism Culture

The solstice is also associated with the burth of "Mithra" a vataza that has come strongly associated with the light of Ahura Mazda. The world Yalda is actually Persian for Birth.

While the majority of Persians are now Muslims, Yalda is still widely celebrated as a cultural holiday, primarily marked as a time of feasting among family and friends. Celebrations can include the lighting of fires as a reminder of the triumph of light and hearken back to days where fires were set to beat back Angra Mainyu on his strongest night.

Zarathustra - The Persian Zoroastrianism Prophet

Theologically speaking, Maideyarem is associated with Vahman, the Amesha Spenta (Holy Immortal quality of Ahura Mazda who created the primal bull and all cattle, and associated with good plans and intentions). Maideyarem is celbrated in Dey (The tenth month of the Zoroastrian calendar, from de sixteenth to the twentieth day)

There are also speculations that by the Persian calendar many celebrated on the last day of the Persian month (Azar: The longest night of the year), when the forces of the Ahriman are assumed to be at the peak or their strength. The next day, the first day of the month (Dey: Khoram Ruz, The day of the Sun) belongs to God.

Since the days are getting longer and the nights shorter, this day marks the victory of the Sun over darkness. The occacion was celebreated in the ancient Persian Deygan Festival dedicated to Ahura Mazda, and Mithra on the first day of the month Dey.

Zoroastrianism Message:

"Good Thoughts, Good Words, Good Deeds"

Happy Holideys