Yezidi community to build new temple in Armenia

PanARMENIAN.Net -

The Yezidi community of Armenia plans to build a new temple which is supposed to also serve as a cultural center.

Yezidi businessman Mirza Sloyan, who had already covered the costs of the local pilgrimage site worth €1 million, will finance the construction of the temple as well. The temple will be built in Aknalich village and is supposed to be called Quba mêrê divanê.

The Religious Council of the Yezidis approved of the temple's construction and blessed the initiative during the commemoration of the Armenian Genocide centennial in April of this year.

Armenian architect, Artak Ghulyan was commissioned to design the temple. The architect presented a project shortly afterwards, which the Yezidi representatives, however, rejected. A new design is currently being developed.

Quba mêrê divanê is the third Yezidi temple to be built in the post-Soviet area. Only a few weeks ago, the Yezidi community in Georgia´s capital Tbilisi inaugurated the temple Quba Siltan Êzîd, with international guests attending the event.

40,000 Yezidis live in Armenia according to the census of 2011. 1.3 per cent of the population, Yezidis make up Armenia´s largest ethnic minority. In 2012, the Armenian government officially recognized the Yezidis' ethno-religious identity.