In Pictures: Iran’s Zoroastrians celebrate Sadeh and end of cold winter days

Iranian Zoroastrian youths set fire to a prepared pile of wood in a ceremony celebrating their ancient mid-winter Sadeh festival in the outskirts of Tehran (Vahid Salemi/AP)

Lighting fires that brightened the night sky, followers of Iran’s minority Zoroastrian religion marked the Sadeh festival in several cities, celebrating the end of the coldest winter days.

Every January 30, Zoroastrians gather after sunset to celebrate the 50 days and 50 nights left until spring.