By Zach Kilpatrick
Every year, from Sydney Harbor to Times Square, billions of people celebrate as they count down to the beginning of a new year. However, December 31st is not the only New Year’s celebration. Many are familiar with Chinese New Year, which occurs annually between January 21st and February 20th.
Another New Year’s celebration you may not be familiar with is the Persian New Year, known as Nowruz. Nowruz, meaning “new day” in Farsi, is an annual festival celebrated on the first day of Spring by hundreds of millions of people, including Iranians, Kurds, Afghans, Pakistanis, Tajiks, and Turks.
This might sound like a big deal in Central Asia, but did you know that, according to worldpopulationreview.com, there are around 500,000 Iranians in the United States, including close to 1,000 in Mississippi. That’s only Iranians and doesn’t include the other people groups who celebrate the annual festival!
As we think about this celebration, celebrated by around 300 million people annually and by many people in our state, let’s think about some common themes it shares with Scripture and how it could offer a simple way to share our faith with our Persian neighbors.
Nowruz and the Gospel
Nowruz is a 13-day celebration that shares many themes with the Gospel message. Listen to this quote from an article on the United Nations website titled “International Nowruz Day”:
“Nowruz… meaning ‘new day‘ in Persian, is far more than just the start of a new year — it is an ancient celebration of life, rebirth, and the triumph of light over darkness.”
“Life, rebirth, and the triumph of light over darkness” sounds more like an advertisement for the book of 1 John than a 3,000-year-old Central Asian celebration!
Engaging Persians with the Gospel
Here are a few ideas for beginning a conversation with your Persian neighbors about Nowruz and its thematic relationship to the Gospel.
1. Discuss fire jumping with them.
On the Eve of Nowruz, Persian people build fires and jump over them. This practice symbolizes purification, as jumping over fire signifies the removal of maladies from the previous year and a fresh start.
The Bible also mentions purification by fire (or smelting) in several books of the Old and New Testaments. Most often, it references God as being like a refiner who uses fire to purify a metal, removing its impurities. This is a picture of God removing our sins through faith in Jesus Christ.
In both instances, the illustration is meant to depict someone who has had the old impurities removed and is now new; what a great connection point to share with our Persian neighbors!
2. Talk to them about Spring cleaning.
Each year, Persian families prepare for Nowruz by undergoing an extensive cleaning process in their homes. This includes removing rugs and beating the dust from them, cleaning out cabinets, and even applying fresh paint to the walls. Like fire jumping, this deep cleaning embodies the spiritual values of renewal and a fresh start.
The Bible also relates the themes of renewal and newness of life with washing or cleaning. In Titus 3:5, Paul refers to our new birth (salvation) as “the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit.” We also see this theme reflected in Ezekiel 26 and Ephesians 5.
The themes of cleaning, washing, and new life are intricately tied to both Nowruz celebrations and the Bible, and this conversation is one you can readily have with anyone celebrating the annual festival.
3. Research and share.
Nowruz has many other traditions. Families share meals, fix and prepare certain dishes, and buy new clothes, among other things. Do some research and identify commonalities between you and your Persian neighbors. Consider inviting them to share a meal with the seven traditional items used to celebrate Nowruz, or build a fire and jump over it with them.
At the same time, recognize that Nowruz offers a beautiful opportunity to share the rich history of your faith with these neighbors and friends as well. Share about new life, cleansing, and the removal of sin from a biblical perspective. Tell them that, although we often look for these things in the world, they are only truly available through Jesus Christ!
Kilpatrick serves as senior pastor of Mt. Zion Church, Brookhaven.
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