Britannica AI Icon

Hamaspathmaēdaya

Zoroastrianism

Quick Summary

Zoroastrianism is one of the world's oldest monotheistic religions, originating in ancient Persia. It blends monotheistic and dualistic elements and is believed to have influenced Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.

A key festival in Zoroastrianism is Hamaspathmaēdaya, which is one of six Gahanbar festivals celebrated throughout the year. These festivals commemorate the seasons and possibly the six stages of creation. Hamaspathmaēdaya, lasting five days, is specifically a festival for the dead. The Gahanbars involve liturgical rites such as prayers of praise and honor, the central Yasna rite, and prayers honoring God and his spirits, followed by a solemn feast.12

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

Ask Britannica AI about this topic

Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.