Yazidis in Iraqi Kurdistan

REGIONAL GOVERNMENT OF KURDISTAN, IRAQ - 2015: Lalish Nûranî, Yazidi Temple. A wick soaked in sacred oil, lit by a devotee every night, is used to light 360 oil lamps placed throughout the temple. The evening fire ritual is very important to the Yazidis who venerate fire as an incarnation of the Sun on Earth. Every evening, the chosen volunteers light wicks soaked in the sacred oil. Then, very quickly, they have to place the lit lamps in precise spots throughout the temple. Some devotees come to pray around the newly-lit fire and follow the volunteers as they light the lamps. The Yazidis of Kurdish ethnic origin are a religious community who practice Yazidism, one of the oldest monotheistic religion in the world with similarities in somes ritual with Zoroastrianism, Hinduism, Judaism as well as Mazdaism . They live mainly in the province of Nineveh in the north of Iraqi Kurdistan. Since 2014, they have been persecuted by the Islamic State, who regard them as devil worshippers. (Photo by Reza/Getty Images)