CELEBRATING NOROOZ AND NEW BEGINNINGS
Persian-speakers everywhere joyfully celebrate Norooz on 21 March, and Persian staff at SAT-7 PARS are joining in the celebrations.
“All our shows include a specially designed Norooz display and our weekly Insiders program will feature traditional festive music and regional dancing,” says Producer and Director Moe Pooladfar. “The topics planned for discussion on all shows will revolve around themes such as renewal and new birth.”
Literally New Day, Noe-rooz combines two Persian words; ‘noe’ meaning new, and ‘rooz’ meaning day.
Celebrating renewal in nature, this ancient new year festival marks the first day of Spring in the Northern hemisphere.
A NEW BEGINNING
The new beginnings that Norooz celebrates has a special resonance for Persian-speaking Christians who seek a new identity in Jesus Christ. The Bible promises a new birth to all believers:
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” – 2 Corinthians 5:17
THE TRIUMPH OF LIGHT
Although Norooz is closely associated with Zoroastrianism, almost all Persian-speakers celebrate the festival which takes place on the Spring equinox. This is the moment that marks the end of winter, when the days begin to stretch out noticeably and the nights rapidly shorten.
Light is celebrated and highly prized by Zoroastrians, whose numbers in Iran, according to the 2011 census, is barely over 25,000. Yet, the veneration of light remains a strong feature of Persian culture.
For Persian believers, the true new life in Jesus, the Light of the world, has already come.
It is on Him that they cast their cares and burdens, awaiting with all other believers His ultimate triumph and everlasting rule.