Estimate from Pew Research Center — The Future of World Religions↗ (opens in a new tab).
Overview
The extant Avesta is described by Avesta.org as the most ancient scripture of Zoroastrianism, alongside many Middle Persian scriptures.1 The Yasna carries the sacred liturgy and the Gathas, the hymns of Zarathushtra.2 The Khorda Avesta is presented as the Book of Common Prayer.3
The scriptures
Avesta.org describes the Denkard as a ninth-century compendium of Zoroastrian wisdom.4 The Vendidad it describes as covering myths, a code of purification and religious observances.5 Most of the texts in these archives are, by the site’s own account, extremely rare.6
What is taught
Avesta.org quotes the judgement that Zoroaster was the first to teach the doctrines of an individual judgment, Heaven and Hell, the future resurrection of the body, the general Last Judgment, and life everlasting for the reunited soul and body.7
Zoroastrians today
The Zoroastrian Trust Funds of Europe states that Zoroastrians are recognised as one of the nine world faith communities in the United Kingdom, and are the smallest of them.8 It describes itself as the oldest established South Asian, faith-based voluntary organisation in the United Kingdom.9 The World Zoroastrian Organisation describes itself as an international organisation created to support Zoroastrians globally.10
References
- “the most ancient scriptures of Zoroastrianism, as well as many Middle Persian scriptures” — Avesta.org, source page↗ (opens in a new tab)
- “YASNA: Sacred Liturgy and Gathas/Hymns of Zarathushtra” — Avesta.org, source page↗ (opens in a new tab)
- “KHORDA AVESTA: Book of Common Prayer” — Avesta.org, source page↗ (opens in a new tab)
- “A Ninth Century compendium of Zoroastrian wisdom” — Avesta.org, source page↗ (opens in a new tab)
- “Myths, code of purification, religious observances” — Avesta.org, source page↗ (opens in a new tab)
- “Most of the texts in these archives are extremely rare.” — Avesta.org, source page↗ (opens in a new tab)
- “Zoroaster was thus the first to teach the doctrines of an individual judgment, Heaven and Hell, the future resurrection of the body, the general Last Judgment, and life everlasting for the reunited soul and body.” — Avesta.org, source page↗ (opens in a new tab)
- “Zoroastrians are recognised as one of the nine world faith communities in the UK, although we are the smallest.” — Zoroastrian Trust Funds of Europe, source page↗ (opens in a new tab)
- “The ZTFE is the oldest established South Asian, faith-based voluntary organisation in the United Kingdom.” — Zoroastrian Trust Funds of Europe, source page↗ (opens in a new tab)
- “The World Zoroastrian Organisation is an international organisation created to support Zoroastrians globally with aid, advocacy, education, and community.” — World Zoroastrian Organisation, source page↗ (opens in a new tab)
Individual sourced statements
Statements recorded one at a time, each shown with the words it rests on. They sit alongside the account above rather than beneath it.
The World Zoroastrian Organisation describes itself as an international organisation created to support Zoroastrians globally with aid, advocacy, education and community.
“The World Zoroastrian Organisation is an international organisation created to support Zoroastrians globally with aid, advocacy, education, and community.”
The World Zoroastrian Organisation states that all Zoroastrians are welcome to join it, and that it also welcomes members who are not Zoroastrian.
“All Zoroastrians are welcome to join WZO and it also welcomes membership from non-Zoroastrian supporters and friends.”
Avesta.org describes the Denkard as "A Ninth Century compendium of Zoroastrian wisdom".
“A Ninth Century compendium of Zoroastrian wisdom”
Avesta.org describes the Vendidad as covering "Myths, code of purification, religious observances".
“Myths, code of purification, religious observances”
Avesta.org describes the Yasna as the "Sacred Liturgy and Gathas/Hymns of Zarathushtra".
“Sacred Liturgy and Gathas/Hymns of Zarathushtra”
Every quotation above was checked against its source on 5 September 2026.
Authority
Zoroastrianism has no central authority.
Three calendar variants are in concurrent use — Shahanshahi, Kadmi and Fasli — and they differ by up to a month. Dates must be emitted per variant.
Communities
How these dates are worked out
This is the part that decides whether a date in your rota is right. Every observance below is computed from a published rule rather than copied from anyone’s list, and the rule is what explains why a date moves, why two calendars can disagree, and how far ahead you can safely plan.
Three parallel calendars
- What sets the date
- The date depends on which of three calendars a community keeps. Two use a 365-day year with no leap day, so they drift forward against the Gregorian calendar by roughly one day every four years. The third was reformed to stay in step with the seasons.
- Why it falls where it does
- The drift is not an error but the consequence of a year with no intercalation, and the three calendars are now roughly a month apart from one another. A single date for a Zoroastrian observance is therefore incomplete without saying which calendar it belongs to.
- What that means for planning
- Ask which calendar a community keeps. The site gives the date for each rather than choosing one.
Observances in 2026
Sources
No expert review. Accuracy here rests on continuous machine verification of every quotation against its source. Spotted an error? Corrections are answered within five working days.