Q 01/05

What does the Persian word Nowruz literally mean?

A) Spring Feast

B) New Day

C) Green Year

D) First Light

Answer · why

B) New Day

It combines now, meaning new, and ruz, meaning day, and was pronounced Nawrōz in Classical Persian.

Q 02/05

Nowruz is New Year's Day on which system of reckoning the year?

A) The Islamic lunar calendar

B) The Julian calendar

C) The Hebrew lunisolar calendar

D) The Iranian solar calendar

Answer · why

D) The Iranian solar calendar

It is the first day of Farvardin, the first month of the Solar Hijri calendar used officially in Iran.

Q 03/05

Which astronomical event fixes the date of Nowruz?

A) The heliacal rising of Sirius

B) The first new moon of spring

C) The Northern Hemisphere spring equinox

D) The winter solstice

Answer · why

C) The Northern Hemisphere spring equinox

That is why it usually falls somewhere between 19 and 22 March on the Gregorian calendar.

Q 04/05

In which ancient religion do the roots of Nowruz lie?

A) Mithraism alone

B) Manichaeism

C) Zoroastrianism

D) Buddhism

Answer · why

C) Zoroastrianism

It has been celebrated for more than 3,000 years and remains a holy day for Zoroastrians, Baháʼís and Ismaili Shia Muslims.

Q 05/05

For roughly how long has Nowruz been celebrated?

A) About 500 years

B) Over 3,000 years

C) About 1,400 years

D) Over 10,000 years

Answer · why

B) Over 3,000 years

Most celebrants now treat it as a secular holiday.