Mandaean priest

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A Mandaean priest or Rabbi refers to an ordained religious leader in Mandaeism. In Mandaean scriptures, priests are referred to as Naṣuraiia (Classical Mandaic: ࡍࡀࡑࡅࡓࡀࡉࡉࡀ, lit. 'Naṣoraeans'),[1] while laypeople are referred to as Mandaiia (Classical Mandaic: ࡌࡀࡍࡃࡀࡉࡉࡀ, lit. 'Gnostics, Knowers, Enlightened Ones').[2]: 116  All priests must undergo lengthy ordination ceremonies, beginning with tarmida initiation.[3] Mandaean religious leaders and copyists of religious texts hold the title Rabbi or in Arabic 'Sheikh'.[4][5]

All Mandaean communities traditionally require the presence of a priest, since priests are required to officiate over all important religious rituals, including masbuta, masiqta, birth and wedding ceremonies. Priests also serve as teachers, scribes, and community leaders. Unfortunately, many Mandaean diaspora communities do not have easy access to priests.[3]

Priests[]

There are three types of priests in Mandaeism:[3]

  • rišama (Classical Mandaic: ࡓࡉࡔࡀࡌࡀ) "leader of the people"
  • ganzibria (Classical Mandaic: ࡂࡀࡍࡆࡉࡁࡓࡉࡀ) "treasurers" (from Old Persian ganza-bara "id.," Neo-Mandaic ganzeḇrānā)
  • tarmidia (Classical Mandaic: ࡕࡀࡓࡌࡉࡃࡉࡀ) "disciples" (Neo-Mandaic tarmidānā)

Priests have lineages based on the succession of ganzibria priests who had initiated them. Priestly lineages, which are distinct from birth lineages, are typically recorded in the colophons of many Mandaean texts. The position is not hereditary, and any Mandaean male who is highly knowledgeable about religious matters is eligible to become a priest.[6]

Traditionally, any ganzeḇrā who baptizes seven or more ganzeḇrānā may qualify for the office of rišama. The current rišama of the Mandaean community in Iraq is Sattar Jabbar Hilo al-Zahrony. In Australia, the rišama of the Mandaean community .[7][8]

A shganda (šganda) or ashganda (ašganda)[1] is a ritual assistant who helps priests with ritual duties. Prior to ordination, many priests have typically served as shganda as young men, although this is not a requirement.[3]

History[]

The contemporary Mandaean priesthood can trace its immediate origins to the first half of the 19th century. In 1831, a cholera pandemic in Shushtar, Iran devastated the region and eliminated all of the Mandaean religious leaders there. Two of the surviving acolytes (šgandia), Yahia Bihram and Ram Zihrun, reestablished the Mandaean priesthood in Suq esh-Shuyuk on the basis of their own training and the texts that were available to them.[6]

Although Mandaean priests have been exclusively male since the 1900s, Buckley (2010) presents evidence that there had historically been Mandaean priests who were women.[6]

Clothing[]

Left: A Mandaean wearing a burzinqa (turban) and pandama (cloth covering the mouth) with a margna (staff), at a 2019 Parwanaya festival in Maysan Governorate, Iraq

Ritual clothing and accessories worn by Mandaean priests include:[3]

  • Burzinqa: turban
  • Pandama: cloth wrapped around the mouth and lower face (similar to the Tuareg litham)
  • Margna: wooden staff made from an olive branch
  • Naṣifa: stole
  • Kanzala: stole, when held under the chin
  • Skandola: ritual iron ring with an iron chain that is used as a sacred seal. It is used to seal graves and also newborn babies on their navels.
  • Himiana: sacred ritual belt used by priests

Mandaean priests are dressed completely in white to symbolize radiant uthras from the World of Light.[3]

Alms[]

Mandaean priests regularly receive zidqa (alms)[9] from laypeople, since priesthood is typically a full-time occupation.

Symbolism[]

Symbolically, a Mandaean priest represents an uthra on earth (Tibil).[3]

Shishlam is the personification of the prototypical or archetypal Mandaean priest.[3]

See also[]

  • Shishlam, a literary representation of the prototypical Mandaean priest
  • Kohanim

References[]

  1. ^ a b Drower, E. S. 1960. The Secret Adam: A Study of Nasoraean Gnosis. Oxford: Clarendon Press.
  2. ^ Nasoraia, Brikha H.S. (2021). The Mandaean gnostic religion: worship practice and deep thought. New Delhi: Sterling. ISBN 978-81-950824-1-4. OCLC 1272858968.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h Buckley, Jorunn Jacobsen (2002). The Mandaeans: ancient texts and modern people (PDF). New York: Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-515385-5. OCLC 65198443.
  4. ^ McGrath, James F. (2010). "Reading the Story of Miriai on Two Levels: Evidence from Mandaean Anti-Jewish Polemic about the Origins and Setting of Early Mandaeism". ARAM Periodical. p. 583-592. Retrieved 10 December 2021.
  5. ^ Holy Spirit University of Kaslik - USEK (27 November 2017), "Open discussion with the Sabaeans Mandaeans", YouTube, retrieved 10 December 2021
  6. ^ a b c Buckley, Jorunn Jacobsen (2010). The great stem of souls: reconstructing Mandaean history. Piscataway, N.J: Gorgias Press. ISBN 978-1-59333-621-9.
  7. ^ "الريشما ستار جبار حلو رئيس ديانة الصابئة المندائيين". Mandaean Library مكتبة موسوعة العيون المعرفية (in Arabic). Retrieved 2021-09-21.
  8. ^ "Harmony Day - Liverpool signs declaration on cultural and religious harmony". Liverpool City Champion. 25 March 2019. Retrieved 5 November 2021.
  9. ^ Gelbert, Carlos (2011). Ginza Rba. Sydney: Living Water Books. ISBN 9780958034630.

External links[]

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