A cleric stokes the coals of the 'sacred eternal flame' at the Zoroastrian fire temple in Yazd, Iran.


Zoroastrians believe that there is one God, named Ahura Mazda, which translates to "Wise Lord". They believe that Ahrua Mazda created the world and that Prophet Ahura Mazda was the one to reveal this about their God through the holy book, the Avesta.

The slogan of the Zoroastrian religion is "Good Thoughts, Good Words, Good Deeds" and Zoroastrians typically pray several times a day, although there is no fixed pattern. Followers of the religion believe that fire has elements that are pure and that it represents God's light and wisdom.

Due to this, Zoroastrians pray communally in an agiary or fire temple, where a sacred fire burns and is never extinguished. Prayers are said facing the sun, fire or any other source of light and purification is strongly emphasised in order to defeat evil or Angra Mainyu.