Sacred Olive Harvest Begins in Lalish: A Season of Ritual and Blessing Service
Yazidis from across the region converge on the Lalish Temple for the annual sacred olive harvest, a voluntary ritual to produce oil for the temple's lamps. The tradition reinforces community unity and cultural transmission.
Erbil (Kurdistan24) – In the radiant serenity of the Lalish Temple, the holiest sanctuary for Yazidis worldwide, the annual olive harvest has begun—an event where spirituality, heritage, and community labor converge in a ritual handed down through countless generations. The sacred season unfolds with wide participation from Yazidis of all ages and from regions stretching across Bashiqa, Bahzani, Shingal, and the surrounding villages.
Amid harmonious melodies and rhythms, the murmured prayers blend seamlessly with the collective effort of harvesting. Elders and youth, men and women, gather as one community in a revered tradition known simply as “the service”—an act of devotion performed for the sanctuary of Lalish.
“We begin preparing for this day well in advance,” says volunteer Faleh Hassan, speaking to Kurdistan24 as he takes a moment between the harvest work.
“We gather the tools, sticks, bags, and food, then head out in the early morning. Our purpose is to receive blessing and to visit the temple. We come seeking the grace of Baba Sheikh and Sheikh Adi.”
Hassan emphasizes the unity that characterizes the ritual:
“Everyone arrives here with hearts full of love for the service—whether from Yazidi villages, from Shingal, or from Bashiqa. All of us work hand in hand.”
A striking presence in this year’s harvest is the strong participation of Yazidi women, whose involvement forms a central part of the ritual—an event often described as a communal wedding or a sacred festival.
“This service is a duty for every Yazidi,” says Layla Sheikh Amo, speaking to Kurdistan24.
“We come from all regions—Bashiqa, Bahzani, Shingal—to take part.”
Layla underscores the essential role of passing the tradition to future generations:
“We bring our children with us so they learn these rituals and grow accustomed to them, so that one day they will say as we say now: ‘We inherited this from our fathers and grandfathers.’ We are grateful for this opportunity and offer this service as a gift to the spirit of the Yazidi faith and to the luminous Lalish Temple.”
Nestled within the valley of Lalish stand more than 400 olive trees, tended with the care and reverence owed to their sacred purpose. The harvest is carried out strictly as voluntary “service,” without payment, by Yazidis who arrive from near and far to contribute.
Unlike ordinary olive harvests, this produce is not used for food. Instead, the olives are collected, stored, and later pressed to produce oil dedicated solely to illuminating the temple’s lanterns and jaraia—the sacred lamps that burn throughout the year.
A deeply held belief guides the hearts of the volunteers:
Any act performed sincerely, with a pure intention, in the service of Lalish—the House of Adi—is regarded as an answered prayer and a fulfilled wish.
As the sun sets over the sacred valley, its last light reflecting off the ancient stones of Lalish, the olive harvest continues—an unbroken chain of devotion linking past, present, and future. Through voluntary work, shared ritual, and the glow of the temple’s lamps, Yazidis reaffirm not only their faith but the enduring spirit of a community that has survived tragedy, displacement, and loss. In Lalish, each olive gathered becomes part of a luminous tradition, keeping alive the eternal flame of a people and their most sacred sanctuary.
