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Long-persecuted Yazidis welcome new ‘sanctuary’ temple
AKNALICH, Armenia, Oct 21, 2019 (BSS/AFP) – Yazidis, an ancient ethnic
group much persecuted for their faith, now have a massive new temple in
Armenia to help preserve their religion and identity.
The Yazidi community, which has suffered greatly in recent upheavals in
the Middle East, has found a safe haven in the former Soviet Caucasus
country.
And now they have built a gleaming white temple there surrounded by a rose
garden, which is already attracting pilgrims from abroad.
The new temple stands 35 kilometres (22 miles) from the Armenian capital
Yerevan, in the village of Aknalich, where 150 of the residents are Yazidi.
Built from milky-white Persian marble and polished granite, the 25-metre-
high (82-foot) structure includes a large prayer hall, a religious school and
museum.
Its construction was partly funded by a wealthy Moscow-based Yazidi
businessman Mirza Sloyan, who was born nearby.
The new temple is intended as a symbol of strength for the Kurdish-
speaking religious minority group, as the community tries to preserve its
unique faith.
“Over the centuries, our ancestors have known much sorrow and pogroms,”
said 62-year-old Tosun Avdalyan, who had come from Russia to pray in the new
temple.
“This temple will help our people to preserve, cherish and protect our
national awareness and religion,” he added.
“After having seen so many atrocities, we now have a new sanctuary and
feel stronger, united,” said another worshipper, 31-year-old Aram Usubov.
– Persecution –
Yazidis worship one God, who they believe created the world and entrusted
it to seven Holy Beings, the most important of which is Melek Taus, or the
Peacock Angel.
The temple’s seven domes topped with sun symbols represent the seven
angels revered by the Yazidis, adherents of an ancient religion rooted in
Zoroastrianism.
Worshippers remove their shoes before entering and kiss the walls around
the entrance. The inside is dominated by the holy symbol of the peacock.
At the altar, they pray and tie knots in pieces of cloth that represent
their wishes. Outside, a stall sells souvenirs in the shape of peacocks.
Their beliefs and practices of the Yazidis include a ban on eating lettuce
and wearing the colour blue.
But their unique beliefs — which over time have integrated elements of
Judaism, Christianity and Islam — have often been misconstrued as satanic.
Some Muslims consider the Peacock Angel revered by Yazidis a demon figure
and refer to Yazidis as devil-worshippers.
And while the 35,000 Yazidi community in Armenia can freely practise their
religion, elsewhere they have suffered greatly.
Yazidis also live in Syria, Turkey — and Iraq, which has the largest
community, numbering 1.5 million.
After years of persecution by the former dictator Saddam Hussein, in 2014
they faced the brutality of the Islamic State group.
The jihadists seized their bastion Sinjar in northwestern Iraq, killing
thousands of Yazidis then abducting and enslaving women and girls.
They suffered crimes that the United Nations has described as genocide and
Armenia’s parliament has formally recognised as genocide.
Last year, Yazidi activist Nadia Murad, who was held prisoner by IS, was
joint winner of the Nobel Peace Prize for her activism against sexual
violence.
BSS/AFP/BZC/1930HRS