PCC Sends Special Greeting to Persian Community: Happy Nowruz!

Pasadena, Calif., – Spring has sprung and Happy Nowruz!  Nowruz, the Persian New Year, symbolizes the coming of Spring and celebrates renewal and rebirth.  A cultural holiday that coincides with the vernal equinox, the celebration lasts 12 days and is celebrated by Persians of all religions. 

On the last Wednesday of the old year, the night of Chahar Shanbe Suri is celebrated to get rid of the bad luck of the past year.  A traditional ceremonial table display is set up, the sofreh-ye haft-sinn ("cloth of seven dishes") with Kitabi-Aqdas, the Holy Book, flowers, a bowl of goldfish, a mirror, candles, painted eggs, and seven traditional foods.  The table remains displayed for thirteen days after the start of the holiday.  At the end of the celebration period, Sizdeh Bedar, "getting rid of the thirteenth" is celebrated where families throw green sprouts into the river, symbolizing the plant's return to nature and marks the end of the celebration until the next year.  Sale no mobarak!