The Yezidi community of Armenia celebrates the New Year not on December 31, but on the first Wednesday after April 13. According to the Yezidi calendar, the creation of the world finishes on exactly April 13, and then the New Years starts.

The Yezidis’ New Year, Sarsal, coincides with the birthday of Archangel Malak Ta'us, whom the God sent for their defense. Yezidis start Sarsal by visiting the graves of their late relatives. They take fruits and food to the cemetery. Then they lay table there and celebrate the New Year.

Sashik Sultanyan, Deputy Head of the “National Committee of Yezidis,” told Armenian News – NEWS.am that on the Eve of Sarsal women bake bread and biscuits and give the food out to the poor. They also decorate the entrance to their houses with flowers and give presents to each other. Then the women paint eggs with the colors of the Yezidi flag: red, white and yellow. Apparently, they eat the eggs, and scatter the eggshell across the fields so that the harvest is abundant.

“On that day we certainly make Kalatosh. This is a Yezidi dish: it’s made of 50 sorts of plants encountered in different regions of Armenia. This day is very important for Yezidis. 10 years ago this holiday wasn’t celebrated as gorgeously and solemnly [as now],” Sultanyan said.

But the Yezidis of Armenia also celebrate the Christian New Year on January 1. According to the representative, Yezidis celebrate it the same way as Armenians do: they lay a holiday table, decorate the house and the Christmas tree, visit each other’s place, as well as cook the same food as Armenians do, except for the pork.

The Yezidi community is the biggest among the 11 national minorities of Armenia. According to the official data, nearly 40,000 Yezidis live in the country, mainly in Kotayk, Armavir and Aragatsotn provinces. The religion of the Yezidis is Sharfadin, which is based on the idea of a single god. This is a pre-Christian religion which has very old roots.