General Information
Also Known As
Parsê shrine, Parse Xatûn, بارسه خاتون, پارسه خاتون
Type
Ziyareta
Nahiya (Subdistrict)
Şera
Village or Nearby Villages
Religious Affiliation
Yezidi
The Parsê shrine, also known as Parse Xatûn, is one of the shrines of Qestela Cindo.
Physical & Landscape Features
Parse Xatûn is a small building on top of Mount Parse. An old oak tree stands in front of the building, the gate faces east, and an old cemetery lies on the western side. Next to the cemetery is a large cistern belonging to an ancient fortress called Junblat. The name refers to Lady Parse, who was remembered as a hermit. One version says Parse was the wife of Sheikh Barakat, the main Yezidi saint in the area, who also lived as a hermit on nearby Mount Barakat.1
Ritual Practices & Beliefs
Large celebrations are held at Parse Xatûn for the Yezidi New Year.2
Current Status
In April 2020 Suleiman Jaafar, co-chair of the Legislative Council of the Afrin region, listed Parsa Khatun among nine Yazidi shrines destroyed by Turkish forces and their affiliated armed groups since 2018, and Aziza Khanafer, co-chair of the Office of Religions and Beliefs in North and East Syria, counted it among four Yazidi shrines subjected to complete systematic destruction.3
Bibliography
- Ahmad, Nouraddin. "Turkish forces and opposition groups destroy nine Yazidi shrines in Afrin." North Press Agency, April 26, 2020. https://npasyria.com/en/41290/.
- Maisel, Sebastian. Yezidis in Syria: Identity Building among a Double Minority. Lanham: Lexington Books, 2017.
- North Press Agency. "Armed men and settlers in Afrin destroy the dome of a Yazidi shrine." https://npasyria.com/en/41296/.
- Elî, Mihemed Ebdo. Êzdî û Êzdiyetî li Bakur Rojavaya Sûriyê. Efrîn: Çapnivîsa Kurdî, 2008.
References
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Sebastian Maisel, Yezidis in Syria: Identity Building among a Double Minority (Lanham: Lexington Books, 2017). Quotes: "Parse Khatune is a small building located on top of Mount Parse"; "In front of the building stands an old oak tree"; "The gate is to the East"; "an old cemetery is connected to the western side"; "Next to the cemetery is a large cistern"; "Parse was a hermit"; "Parse was in fact the wife of Sheikh Barakat." ↩
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Mihemed Ebdo Elî, Êzdî û Êzdiyetî li Bakur Rojavaya Sûriyê (Efrîn: Çapnivîsa Kurdî, 2008). Quote: "Li roja me, şahiyên mezin li ber pîrozgehên Şêx Berkêt, Parse Xatûnê û Çêlxanê tên lidarxistin." English translation: "Today, large celebrations are held at the shrines of Şêx Berkêt, Parse Xatûn, and Çêlxanê." ↩
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Nouraddin Ahmad, "Turkish forces and opposition groups destroy nine Yazidi shrines in Afrin," North Press Agency, April 26, 2020, https://npasyria.com/en/41290/. Direct quote: "Jaafar indicated that the shrines, which were destroyed by Turkish forces and their affiliated armed opposition groups in Afrin region are Sheikh Barakat shrine on top of the Sheikh Mount southern Simeon Castle, Sheikh Hamid and Parsa Khatoun in Qastal-Jendo village in Sharra district, the shrine of Sinka village and Qara-Jorn shrine near Midanki in Sharra district, Malak-Adi shrine in Qibar village, Sheikh Jneid shrine in Faqira village in Jinderis district, Seikh Rakab shrine in Shadeiry village, and Sheikh Ali shrine in Basoufan." North Press Agency, "Armed men and settlers in Afrin destroy the dome of a Yazidi shrine," https://npasyria.com/en/41296/. Direct quote: "Aziza Khanafer, the co-chair of the Office of Religions and Beliefs in North and East Syria, told North Press earlier that \"four Yazidi shrines have been subjected to complete systematic destruction in Afrin.\" These are the Sheikh Hameed shrine, Parsa Khatun shrine, the Malik Adi shrine, and the Sheikh Gharib shrine ." ↩