Holidays of Zoroastrianism - Daena Festival

On April 5, fans of the ancient Iranian religion celebrate the holiday of Daena - the guardian of faith and religion. The religious teaching of Zoroastrianism is based on the victory of good over evil. This can only be achieved by standing on the side of good, when a person has good thoughts (humata), good words (hukhta) and good deeds (hvartsha). The Daena holiday is a time when a person must and can make the right choice that will help him take the path of the righteous. Dreams are of particular importance at this time, because, according to fans of this religion, dreams can be used to judge a person’s spiritual purity. The Great Daena plays a serious role in Zoroastrianism; it is she who meets the souls of the dead and evaluates their words and deeds. And then he decides what this soul deserves: heaven or hell. In human form, Daen is given the opportunity to be seen only three times: the first time before death, the second time at the moment of death. For the third and very last time, Daena meets the soul “on the Chinvat Bridge,” through which she will help the soul move to the world of the dead. After death, everyone sees “their” Daena. For those who have lived a worthy, sinless life, it comes to them in the form of a beautiful young girl. Sinners will see a terrible, ugly old woman, from whom a grave-like cold emanates. In both hands there are caskets containing everything that a person has done during his earthly life. Daena takes the soul by the hand, leads it across the very narrow, sharp Chinvat Bridge, and only pure, sinless souls can cross it to get to the House of Praise. Daena will drag the rest into the underworld of Dujahve, to Ahriman. How is this day going? Firstly, in honor of Daena, 11 ritual candles should burn in the house all day long, because the number “11” is considered the sacred number of this holiday. In addition, special ritual food is consumed, namely green onions and garlic, lettuce leaves and other similar plant foods.