2025-12-02T12:05:02+00:00
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Shafaq News
– Duhok
Each
December, the heart of the Yazidi community turns toward Lalish, where an
annual ritual quietly renews a tradition that has survived centuries. The
temple’s olive trees—more than one hundred of them—became the center of a
communal gathering as the seasonal harvest began in the Sheikhan district east
of Duhok.
Men and
women from nearby Yazidi areas arrived early, joining khalmetkar, the temple’s
caretakers, alongside representatives of the princely and sheikh families. Baba
Sheikh, the community’s spiritual leader, was also present as the first olives
were picked. The ritual marks the start of a months-long process that blends
agriculture, devotion, and heritage.
Luqman
Suleiman, the media officer of Lalish Temple, told Shafaq News that the harvest
always begins in early December. Volunteers move through the rows of trees
surrounding the sanctuary, gathering olives by hand and transferring them to
storage rooms inside the temple, where they remain for several months.
“In the
third month of the year, the olives are brought out for pressing,” he said,
noting that the process follows ceremonial steps rooted in long-standing temple
tradition.
The
resulting oil is treated with particular reverence. Suleiman explained that it
is stored inside Lalish in specially prepared spaces and used exclusively to
light the temple’s 365 lamps.
“For the
Yazidi community, these flames represent the sun’s radiance and the continuity
of light throughout the year—an unbroken cycle preserved through a ritual that
returns every winter,” he added.
Read more: Lights return to Lalish Temple: Yazidis gather for weeklong Jama Feast
Dining and Cooking