Jashan of Rapithwin · Jashn-e Rapithwin

Culture of origin: Zoroastrian · Ancient festival

Holiday sources: Zoroastrianism

Rapithwin is the divine being of the second watch (gah) of the day, said to bring timely nourishment. When the sun passes into Scorpio, at the start of Aban, he descends below the earth, and for the five months until the end of Esfand the second Havan prayer is said in place of his gah. As the sun returns to Aries he emerges again, his gah is prayed from Farvardin, and on Ardibehesht day of Farvardin the Rapithwin jashan is held. Once a major ceremony of the Zoroastrian kings, it is still performed in many Parsi fire temples, which hold it by their own Shahenshahi calendar. On the seasonal calendar, which Iran's Bastani calendar follows, the day is 3 Farvardin. We found no source for its being kept as a feast in Iran today.