---

AFP, via The Peninsula (Qatar), France
Oct. 8, 2006
www.thepeninsulaqatar.com

---

ReligionNewsBlog.com • Item 16197 • Posted: Sunday October 8, 2006  

---

ARBIL – Iraq’s Yazidis, a minority religious sect who have been branded devil worshippers by suspicious neighbours, cancelled an annual pilgrimage yesterday over fears for devotees’ safety.

“The event will just be confined to visits and baptism at the Kaniya Sipi temple, while the main ceremonies will not be held due to the poor security in Iraq,” said Rashid Hassan, custodian of the Lalish Temple near Dohuk.

Since the US-led invasion of March 2003, Iraq has descended into chaos. Insurgent and sectarian violence kills more than 100 people per day.

Yazidis revere the archangel Malak Taus, whom they see as God’s regent on earth but whom Christians and Muslims call Shaytan, earning the secretive group distrust and a reputation as being followers of the devil.

One of the holiest events in their calendar is the six-day pilgrimage to the tomb of Sheikh Adi ibn Mustafa, a 12th century religious figure, in Lalish, in northern Iraq’s autonomous Kurdish region.

There, they bathe in the river, wash figures of Malak Taus, light lamps and sacrifice an ox.

The festival this year was expected to be especially distinctive because of the attendance of hundreds of Yazidis from abroad, with followers due to arrive from countries in Europe and the former Soviet Union.

The Yazidis are believed to be ethnically Kurdish and their religion dates back some 3,000 years. It contains elements of the pre-Christian beliefs of the region, and of the Middle East’s major Christian and Muslim traditions.

For centuries they were persecuted for their beliefs.

But now, their right to observe their beliefs is enshrined in Iraq’s current constitution and they now hold seats in the national assembly.

---

What You Can Do From Here

---

Read More Articles On These Topics Categories: Yazidi Share, Blog About, Bookmark, or Email This Article Subscribe Religion News Blog RSS feed [What is this?] RSS by topic: Yazidi Read Another Article Previous entry: Ashes death plot revealed Next entry: American Muslims Get Involved in U.S. Politics RNB Homepage with latest headlines Find Related Information Use our custom search engines to find additional research resources on religions and cults Find Related Books Yazidi Most Popular Today ‘World’s biggest animal sacrifice’ begins Suicide soldier’s family calls for Scientology probe UK man fears cult leader release Scientology church rejects allegations in death of 14-month-old girl

---

Share This Article

---

To share this page simply copy and paste one of these URL's:

• Post a link on your blog or website:
  
• Send in an email or IM:
  
• Post on a forum:
  

Search for information about (religious) cults, cult-like organizations, -- as well as paranormal-, New Age, and pseudoscientific claims -- across 260+ websites, blogs and forums dedicated to cult research, spiritual abuse, ex-cult counseling & support.

Note: results are listed on another domain -- CounterCultSearch.com -- from which you can easily return here.

Search for apologetics articles, books, videos, and other research resources across 135 Christian apologetics websites and blogs.

Note: results are listed on another domain -- ApologeticsSearch.com -- from which you can easily return here.