What is the Zoroastrian festival of the new year?

The Zoroastrian festival of the new year is Nowruz. The name comes from Persian words meaning “new day,” and the festival traditionally marks renewal, the arrival of spring, and the beginning of a new year.

Nowruz is rooted in the seasonal and religious traditions of ancient Iran. In Zoroastrian practice, it became the holiest and most joyful festival of the year, associated with the triumph of order, life, and goodness over winter and darkness. The festival was also celebrated in the Achaemenid world, including the ceremonial capital Persepolis, although its exact origins remain difficult to date.

A common mix-up is confusing Nowruz with Yalda. Yalda is the winter-solstice observance, while Nowruz is linked to the spring equinox. Chaharshanbe Suri, celebrated shortly beforehand, is another Iranian fire festival rather than the new year itself. Today Nowruz is observed by people of many faiths across Iran, Central Asia, the Caucasus, South Asia, and their global diasporas.