Hıdırellez
Folk holiday marking the meeting of prophets Hızır and İlyas.
Hıdırellez, also spelled Hıdrellez, is a spring festival observed across Turkey, Crimea, Gagauzia, Syria, Iraq, the Caucasus, and the Balkans. It marks the legendary meeting of the prophets Hızır (Al-Khidr) and İlyas (Elijah) on Earth. The celebration begins on the night of May 5 and ends on May 6 in the Gregorian calendar, or April 23 in the Julian calendar. In Turkey and parts of the Middle East, it is considered one of the most important seasonal bayrams (festivals).
The name Hıdırellez is a compound of Hızır and İlyas. While İlyas appears in religious texts, Hızır is not mentioned by name in the Quran, though he is described as a righteous servant of God with great wisdom. In various Islamic and non-Islamic traditions, Hızır is seen as a messenger, prophet, wali, slave, or angel who guards the sea, teaches secret knowledge, and aids those in distress. He is also a patron of the Islamic saint Ibn Arabi. The figure has been syncretized across cultures. In Christianity, Hızır is often identified with Saint George, and also with Saint Theodore and Saint Sergios. Among Alevi-Bektashi belief, Hızır is associated with Ali, the Fourth Caliph.
Different regions have their own names for the holiday. In Turkey, it is also called Hızır-ilyas, Ederlez, Tepreş, Haftamal, Eğrice, and Kakava (among Roma in Edirne and Kırklareli). In Azerbaijan, it is known as Xızır Nəbi bayramı, and Azerbaijani communities in Georgia call it Xıdr Nabe. Crimean Tatars in Northern Dobruja (Romania) call it Tepreş. In the Balkans and Middle East, it is known as Dita e Shëngjergjit (Albania), Gergyovden (Bulgaria), Djurdjevdan (Serbia), Shëngjergji, Gjurgjovden, Erdelezi, Agiu Giorgi, Hıderles (North Macedonia), Khider-Elyas (Iraq), and khidr-Elyas, Mar Elyas, Mar Georgeos (Syria).
The holiday has deep roots in pre-Islamic traditions. Turkic peoples in Central Asia, such as the Yakuts, held spring rituals in honor of Tengri, gathering under trees, sacrificing horses or oxen, and drinking kumiss. Mongols, Kalmyks, and Buryats also practiced spring and summer ceremonies. After converting to Islam, Turks blended these seasonal celebrations with the Hızır cult, which is associated with air, plants, and water. Hıdırellez itself is not linked to Islam but is a cultural practice. In Anatolia and the Balkans, Christian influences—especially the cult of Saint George—shaped the festival. Saint Geo
- Also known as
- Hıdrellez, Hızır-ilyas, Ederlez, Tepreş, Haftamal, Eğrice, Kakava, Xızır Nəbi bayramı, Xıdr Nabe, Dita e Shëngjergjit, Gergyovden, Djurdjevdan, Erdelezi, Agiu Giorgi, Hıderles, Khider-Elyas, khidr-Ely
- Date (Gregorian)
- May 5–6
- Date (Julian)
- April 23
- Region
- Turkey, Crimea, Gagauzia, Syria, Iraq, Caucasus, Balkans
- Religious figures
- Al-Khidr (Hızır) and Elijah (İlyas)
- UNESCO status
- Inscribed in 2017 in the Intangible Cultural Heritage Lists of North Macedonia and Turkey
Lore & Background
The word Hıdırellez is a compound of Hızır and İlyas, regarded as two different persons. In religious sources, there are references to İlyas, but no mention of Hızır. The perception of Hızır and İlyas as identical arises from İlyas being an obscure figure in Sufism and popular piety compared to Hızır, about whom numerous legends exist. Ali the Fourth Caliph is associated with Hızır within the Alevi-Bektaşi belief system. St. George is the figure corresponding to Hızır in Christianity, and Hızır is also identified with İlyas Horasani, St. Theodore, and St. Sergios.
Reader's Guide
Hıdırellez is significant as a syncretic spring festival blending pre-Islamic Turkic, ancient Anatolian, Christian, and Islamic elements. The holiday has no links to Islam itself but is a cultural practice. It incorporates the Hızır cult, which associates the prophet with air, plants, and water, and the St. George cult, which influenced ceremonies in Turkey and the Balkans. Rituals include gathering under trees, offering sacrifices, and picnicking in nature. In Syria, Muslims and Christians celebrate together, often around ancient trees symbolizing Al-Khidr. The holiday's UNESCO recognition in 2017 highlights its enduring cultural importance in North Macedonia and Turkey.
Did You Know?
- Hıdırellez is also known as Kakava among Roma in Edirne and Kırklareli.
- In Azerbaijan the day is called Xızır Nəbi bayramı.
- The holiday is celebrated under the name Dita Verës (Summer Day) in Albania on March 14.
- In Syria, people gather around an 800-year-old tree in Zabadani as a symbol of Al-Khidr.
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