Yazidis in Iraqi Kurdistan

REGIONAL GOVERNMENT OF KURDISTAN, IRAQ - 2015: Lalish Nûranî, Yazidi Temple. A fire ritual. Fire is sacred to the Yazidis, who venerate it as the incarnation of the Sun on Earth. Every evening, selected volunteers light wicks soaked in sacred oil. Then, they quickly have to place these oil lamps in 360 specific places throughout the sanctuary. 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)