Samarineyðir

Samarineyðir, also known as the Samaritan New Year, is a traditional festival celebrated by the Samaritan community, an ethnic and religious group with roots in ancient Israel. The Samaritans are one of the oldest living religious groups in the world, tracing their origins to the biblical period. Their religious practices and calendar differ from those of Judaism and Christianity, though they share some similarities with both.

The Samaritan New Year, or samarineyðir, typically falls in the month of Adar on the Hebrew calendar, which corresponds to late winter or early spring on the Gregorian calendar. The festival is marked by a combination of religious observances and cultural celebrations. One of the central aspects of samarineyðir is the reading of the Torah, specifically the Book of Genesis, which recounts the creation of the world. This aligns with the Samaritan belief in the divine origin of the universe and their adherence to the Torah as the foundation of their faith.

Samarineyðir is also a time for communal gatherings, feasting, and the exchange of gifts. The festival reflects the Samaritans' deep connection to their heritage and their distinct identity as a people. While the Samaritan community is small, with an estimated population of around 800 people worldwide, samarineyðir remains an important occasion for preserving their traditions and strengthening their cultural bonds.

The Samaritan calendar, known as the Samaritan calendar, is based on a lunar cycle with an additional month added periodically to keep it aligned with the solar year. This calendar differs from the Jewish calendar in several ways, including the placement of holidays and the method of calculating leap years. Samarineyðir serves as a reminder of the unique religious and cultural identity of the Samaritan people, distinct from their Jewish neighbors and other Abrahamic traditions.