A ganzibra (singular form in myz, ࡂࡀࡍࡆࡉࡁࡓࡀ, plural form in myz, ࡂࡀࡍࡆࡉࡁࡓࡉࡀ , literally 'treasurer' in
Mandaic; fa, گنزورا) is a
high priest in
Mandaeism
Mandaeism ( Classical Mandaic: ࡌࡀࡍࡃࡀࡉࡉࡀ ; Arabic: المندائيّة ), sometimes also known as Nasoraeanism or Sabianism, is a Gnostic, monotheistic and ethnic religion. Its adherents, the Mandaeans, revere Adam, Abel ...
.
Tarmida
A tarmida (singular form in myz, ࡕࡀࡓࡌࡉࡃࡀ, lit=disciple, plural form in myz, ࡕࡀࡓࡌࡉࡃࡉࡀ ; fa, ترمیدا; ar, ترميذة) is a junior priest in Mandaeism. Ganzibras, or head priests, rank above tarmidas.Drower, E ...
s, or junior priests, rank below the ganzibras.
[Drower, E. S. 1960. ''The Secret Adam: A Study of Nasoraean Gnosis''. Oxford: Clarendon Press.]
Symbolically, ganzibras are considered to be
uthra
An uthra or ʿutra ( myz, ࡏࡅࡕࡓࡀ; plural: ʿutri) is a "divine messenger of the light" in Mandaeism. Charles G. Häberl and James F. McGrath translate it as "excellency". Jorunn J. Buckley defines them as "Lightworld beings, called 'u ...
s on earth (
Tibil). Their responsibilities include performing
masbuta
Maṣbuta ( myz, ࡌࡀࡑࡁࡅࡕࡀ) is the ritual of immersion in water in the Mandaean religion.
Overview
Mandaeans revere John the Baptist and practice frequent baptism (''masbuta'') as a ritual of purification, not of initiation. They ar ...
,
masiqta
The masiqta ( myz, ࡌࡀࡎࡉࡒࡕࡀ) is a mass or ritual practiced in the Mandaean religion in order to help guide the soul ('' nišimta'') towards the World of Light in Mandaean cosmology. They are typically performed as funerary rites f ...
,
wedding ceremonies, and other rituals, all of which can only be performed by priests. They must prepare their own food to maintain ritual purity.
Ganzibra priests are also prohibited from consuming stimulants such as wine, tobacco, and coffee.
Ordination
The ganzibras go through an elaborate set of initiation rituals that are separate from those performed for the
tarmida
A tarmida (singular form in myz, ࡕࡀࡓࡌࡉࡃࡀ, lit=disciple, plural form in myz, ࡕࡀࡓࡌࡉࡃࡉࡀ ; fa, ترمیدا; ar, ترميذة) is a junior priest in Mandaeism. Ganzibras, or head priests, rank above tarmidas.Drower, E ...
s.
According Drower (1937), a ganzibra can only be initiated immediately before the death of a pious member of the Mandaean community. Two ganzibras and two
shgandas are required to perform the initiation.
[ Drower, E. S. 1937. ''The Mandaeans of Iraq and Iran''. Leiden: Brill (1962 reprint).]
The ''bukra'' is the first
masiqta
The masiqta ( myz, ࡌࡀࡎࡉࡒࡕࡀ) is a mass or ritual practiced in the Mandaean religion in order to help guide the soul ('' nišimta'') towards the World of Light in Mandaean cosmology. They are typically performed as funerary rites f ...
performed by a ganzibra priest just after ordination.
Notable ''ganzibria''
Notable ''ganzibria'' include:
*
Brikha Nasoraia
Rabbi Prof. Brikha H. S. Nasoraia (full name: Brikha Hathem Saed Naṣoraia; born 1964 in Iraq) is a Mandaean priest and scholar based in Sydney, Australia. He is affiliated with the University of Sydney and Mardin Artuklu University. He is curre ...
(Australia)
See also
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Mandaean priest
A Mandaean priest or ''Rabbi'' refers to an ordained religious leader in Mandaeism.
Overview
All priests must undergo lengthy ordination ceremonies, beginning with tarmida initiation. Mandaean religious leaders and copyists of religious texts ho ...
*
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained clergy member who is entrusted with a position of authority and oversight in a religious institution.
In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance of dioceses. The role or office of bishop is c ...
*
Kohanim
Kohen ( he, , ''kōhēn'', , "priest", pl. , ''kōhănīm'', , "priests") is the Hebrew word for "priest", used in reference to the Aaronic priesthood, also called Aaronites or Aaronides. Levitical priests or ''kohanim'' are traditionally be ...
*
Rishama
A rishama (rišama; riš-ama) or rishema ( myz, ࡓࡉࡔࡀࡌࡀ, lit='head/leader of the people'; ar, ريشما; fa, ریشا اد اما) is a religious patriarch in Mandaeism. It is the highest rank out of all the Mandaean clergical ranks ...
References
External links
The Worlds of Mandaean Priests
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Mandaic words and phrases
Mandaean titles
{{Mandaeism-stub