The longest night of the year, when Angra Mainyu’s power of darkness reaches its peak and the forces of evil are believed to be at their strongest. In Zoroastrian and Mithraic tradition, this is the birth-night of Mithra (Mehr), the unconquerable light that emerges from the deepest darkness. Families stay awake through the entire night, burning fires and reading sacred poetry to keep the daevas at bay. At dawn, the first lengthening of daylight signals that Mithra has been born and the cosmic tide turns back toward light. UNESCO recognized this festival as Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2022.