The "High Council of Yazidis" has appointed Ali Elias Nasir as the new spiritual leader of the Yazidi community. The 41-year-old thus succeeds Bavê Şêx Xurto Hecî Îsmaîl, who died in October.
The "High Council of the Yazidis" has appointed Ali Elias Nasir as the new Bavê Şêx and thus as the spiritual leader of the Yazidi community. The 41-year-old thus takes over the succession of Bavê Şêx Xurto Hecî Îsmaîl, who died in October. The new leader is to take his office on November 18 with a ceremony in Lalesh.
Mîr Cehor Elî Beg of the Yazidi Council announced on Saturday that the appointment of Ali Elias Nasir as Bavê Şêx (Father Sheikh) was recently decided at a meeting of the advisory staff in the Duhok province of Southern Kurdistan. Nasir thus follows in the footsteps of his father, who held the office of Bavê Şêx from 1978 to 1995. His grandfather had also previously held the office of Bavê Şêx.
The Bavê Şêx of the Yazidis is responsible for the protection of the sanctuary of Şêx Adî in Lalesh, the central sanctuary of the Yazidi community. That is why he is also called Extiyarê Mergehê (The Old One of the Sanctuary) in Kurdish. His traditional residence is located in Şêxan (Ain Sifni). The maintenance of the Yazidi tradition, especially in rituals, is also one of his main tasks. His office, the highest religious dignity in Yazidism, is determined by a mixture of descent and election principle.
