The Mandaean calendar is a 365-day solar calendar used by the Mandaean people.Drower, Ethel Stefana. ''The Mandaeans of Iraq and Iran''. Oxford At The Clarendon Press, 1937. It consists of twelve 30-day months, with five extra days at the end of Šumbulta (the 8th month). The Parwanaya (or Panja) festival takes place during those five days. There is no leap year therefore every four years all Mandaean dates (like beginnings of the months or festivals) move one day back with respect to the Gregorian calendar.

Months

Each month is named after a constellation (''manzalta''). The Mandaic names of the 12 constellations of the

Zodiac The zodiac is a belt-shaped region of the sky that extends approximately 8° north or south (as measured in celestial latitude) of the ecliptic, the apparent path of the Sun across the celestial sphere over the course of the year. The pat ...

are derived from

Aramaic The Aramaic languages, short Aramaic ( syc, ܐܪܡܝܐ, Arāmāyā; oar, 𐤀𐤓𐤌𐤉𐤀; arc, 𐡀𐡓𐡌𐡉𐡀; tmr, אֲרָמִית), are a language family containing many varieties (languages and dialects) that originated in ...

common roots. As with the

seven planets 7 is a number, numeral, and glyph. 7 or seven may also refer to: * AD 7, the seventh year of the AD era * 7 BC, the seventh year before the AD era * The month of July Music Artists * Seven (Swiss singer) (born 1978), a Swiss recording artist * ...

, overall the 12 constellations, frequently known as the ''trisar'' ( myz, ࡕࡓࡉࡎࡀࡓ, "The Twelve") or ''trisar malwašia'' ("Twelve Constellations") in

Mandaean scriptures This article contains a list of Mandaean texts (Mandaean religious texts written in Classical Mandaic). Well-known texts include the ''Ginza Rabba'' (also known as the ''Sidra Rabbā'') and the '' Qolastā''. Texts for Mandaean priests includ ...

, are generally not viewed favorably in Mandaeism, since they constitute part of the entourage of

Ruha In Mandaeism, Rūha ( myz, ࡓࡅࡄࡀ, lit=spirit/breath; also known as Namrūs or Hiwat (Ewath; myz, ࡏࡅࡀࡕ)) is the queen of the World of Darkness (''alma ḏ-hšuka'') or underworld. She rules the underworld together with her son U ...

, the Queen of the World of Darkness who is also their mother. Each month consists of exactly 30 days. The Parwanaya festival comes between the 8th month ( Šumbulta) and 9th month ( Qaina) to make up for 5 extra days in the solar calendar. Due to a lack of a leap year included in the Mandaean calendar, dates change by one day every four years with respect to the Gregorian calendar. Currently, for example in 2022 CE, Sartana meaning Cancer corresponds to December / January in the Gregorian calendar instead of June / July.

Days and hours

The hours of the day are counted starting at dawn (''ṣipra''), although Mandaeans formerly counted the hours of the day starting at sunset or evening (''paina''). In Mandaic, a 24-hour day is known as a ''yuma'', daytime as ''ʿumama'', and nighttime as ''lilia''. Some days are considered to be auspicious, while others are ominous (''mbaṭṭal''). The days of the week are as follows. ''Habšaba'' (Sunday) is considered to be the first day of the week.

Seasons

The four seasons are as follows, with the year starting with winter: *''sitwa'' (winter) *''abhar'' (spring) *''giṭa'' (summer) *''paiz'' (autumn)

Years

The Mandaean calendar is calculated from the year that Adam was born, or approximately 443,370 BCE.

Charles G. Häberl Charles G. Häberl (born 1976 in New Jersey, United States) is an American religious studies scholar, linguist, and professor. He is currently Professor of African, Middle Eastern, and South Asian Languages and Literatures ( AMESALL) and Religion ...

calculates the date 18 July 2019 CE corresponds to 1 ''

Dowla Daula ( myz, ࡃࡀࡅࡋࡀ) is the first month of the Mandaean calendar. The month begins with Dehwa Rabba, or New Year's Day. Dehwa d-Šišlam Rabba is celebrated on the sixth day of the month. It is the Mandaic name for the constellation Aq ...

'' 481,343 AA (AA = after the creation of Adam). All Mandaean years consist of exactly 365 days (12 regular months of 30 days each, plus the 5 intercalary days of the Parwanaya). Since Mandaean months do not have

leap year A leap year (also known as an intercalary year or bissextile year) is a calendar year that contains an additional day (or, in the case of a lunisolar calendar, a month) added to keep the calendar year synchronized with the astronomical year or ...

s accounted for every four years, seasons "slip back" and will not correspond to the same Gregorian months over time.

Epochs

According to Book 18 of the '' Right Ginza'', there are four

epoch In chronology and periodization, an epoch or reference epoch is an instant in time chosen as the origin of a particular calendar era. The "epoch" serves as a reference point from which time is measured. The moment of epoch is usually decided by ...

s (or

era An era is a span of time defined for the purposes of chronology or historiography, as in the regnal eras in the history of a given monarchy, a calendar era used for a given calendar, or the geological eras defined for the history of Earth. Comp ...

s) of the world, which is given a duration of 480,000 years. #Epoch of Adam and Hawa: 1st generation of humans (216,000 years; 30 generations according to ''Right Ginza'' Book 1) #Epoch of Ram and Rud: 2nd generation of humans (156,000 years; 25 generations according to ''Right Ginza'' Book 1) #Epoch of Šurbai and Šarhabʿil: 3rd generation of humans (100,000 years; 15 generations according to ''Right Ginza'' Book 1) #Epoch of Noah and his wife Nuraita/Nhuraita (current and final epoch): 4th generation of humans (remaining years, which would be 8,000 years if taking the 480,000 years into account)

Festivals

Mandaean festivals are: *'' Parwanaya'': Five days that ''

Hayyi Rabbi In Mandaeism, Hayyi Rabbi ( myz, ࡄࡉࡉࡀ ࡓࡁࡉࡀ, translit=Hiia Rbia, lit=The Great Life), 'The Great Living God', is the supreme God from which all things emanate. He is also known as 'The First Life', since during the creation of th ...

'' created the angels and the universe. The 5 epagomenals (extra days) inserted at the end of every Šumbulta (the 8th month) constitute the Parwanaya intercalary feast. *'' Dehwa Daimana'' or ''Dehwa Daymaneh'' (''Dihba ḏ-Yamana'', ''Dihba Daimana'', or ''Dihba Rba ḏ-Daima''): Birthday of

John the Baptist John the Baptist or , , or , ;Wetterau, Bruce. ''World history''. New York: Henry Holt and Company. 1994. syc, ܝܘܿܚܲܢܵܢ ܡܲܥܡܕ݂ܵܢܵܐ, Yoḥanān Maʿmḏānā; he, יוחנן המטביל, Yohanān HaMatbil; la, Ioannes Bapti ...

. Children are baptized for the first time during this festival. *'' Kanshiy u-Zahly'': New Year's Eve *'' Dehwa Rabba'': New Year's Day *''

Dehwa d-Šišlam Rabba The Feast of the Great Shishlam or Dehwa d- Šišlam Rabba ( myz, ࡃࡉࡄࡁࡀ ࡖࡔࡉࡔࡋࡀࡌ ࡓࡁࡀ, translit=Dihba ḏ-Šišlam Rba) or Nauruz Zūṭa ( myz, ࡍࡀࡅࡓࡅࡆ ࡆࡅࡈࡀ, 'Little New Year') is a Mandaean relig ...

'' ( myz, ࡃࡉࡄࡁࡀ ࡖࡔࡉࡔࡋࡀࡌ ࡓࡁࡀ) or '' Nauruz Zūṭa'' ( myz, ࡍࡀࡅࡓࡅࡆ ࡆࡅࡈࡀ): Little New Year, on the 6th-7th days of Daula, corresponding to Epiphany in Christianity. The Night of Power takes place on the night of the 6th day (similar to Qadr Night), during which the heavenly gates of

Abatur Abatur ( myz, ࡀࡁࡀࡕࡅࡓ, sometimes called Abathur; Yawar, myz, ࡉࡀࡅࡀࡓ; and the Ancient of Days) is an Uthra and the second of three subservient emanations created by the Mandaean God '' Hayyi Rabbi'' ( myz, ࡄࡉࡉࡀ ࡓࡁ ...

are open to the faithful. Priests visit Mandaean households and give them myrtle wreaths to hang on their houses for the rest of the year to protect against evil. The households also donate alms to the priests. *''

Dehwa Hanina In the Mandaean calendar, Dehwa Hanina ( myz, ࡃࡉࡄࡁࡀ ࡄࡍࡉࡍࡀ, translit=Dihba Hnina) or ''Dehwa Ṭurma'' (''Dihba ḏ-Ṭirma''), the Little Feast, is celebrated on the 18th day of Taura, which is the 4th month of the Mandaean ...

'' ( myz, ࡃࡉࡄࡁࡀ ࡄࡀࡍࡉࡍࡀ, translit=Dihba Hanina) or ''Dehwa Ṭurma'' (''Dihba ḏ-Tirma''): the Little Feast, begins on the 18th day of Taura. This holiday commemorates the ascension of Hibil Ziwa from the underworld to the Lightworld. The feast lasts for three days. On the first day, Mandaean families visit each other and have a special breakfast of rice, yogurt, and dates. Baptisms are performed, and the dead are commemorated with ''

lofani In Mandaeism, the lofani, laufani, or laufania ( myz, ࡋࡀࡅࡐࡀࡍࡉࡀAl Saadi, Qais (2012). ''Nhura: English-Mandaic/Mandaic-Mandaic Dictionary''. First Edition, Drabsha.) is a type of ritual meal commemorating the dead. It is etymological ...

'' (ritual meals). *'' Ead Fel'': Crushed dates with roasted sesame seeds are eaten. *': Day of remembrance for the drowned people of

Noah's flood The Genesis flood narrative (chapters 6–9 of the Book of Genesis) is the Hebrew version of the universal flood myth. It tells of God's decision to return the universe to its pre- creation state of watery chaos and remake it through the micro ...

. Grains and cereals are eaten. Mandaeans believe that on this day, Noah and his son Sam made the food of forgiveness of sins for the souls of those who died in the flood. The food of forgiveness consists of seven grains representing the seven days of the week, and from the grounding of these seven grains came the name Abu Al-Harees. (See

Ashure Ashure or Noah's pudding is a sweet pudding that is made of a mixture consisting of various types of grains, fresh fruits, dried fruits and nuts. Ashure was traditionally made and eaten during the colder months of the year due to its heavy and ...

or Noah's pudding.)

Example calendar

Below is an example of a calendar year for the Mandaean year 445375, which corresponds to the

Gregorian calendar The Gregorian calendar is the calendar used in most parts of the world. It was introduced in October 1582 by Pope Gregory XIII as a modification of, and replacement for, the Julian calendar. The principal change was to space leap years dif ...

years 2005–2006 or

Jewish calendar The Hebrew calendar ( he, הַלּוּחַ הָעִבְרִי, translit=HaLuah HaIvri), also called the Jewish calendar, is a lunisolar calendar used today for Jewish religious observance, and as an official calendar of the state of Israel. ...

year 5766 (Gelbert 2005: 274). Fasting ( myz, ࡑࡀࡅࡌࡀ, translit=ṣauma) is practiced on some days. Below are some Mandaean holiday dates for 2023: *March 16-20 – Parwanaya *May 20 –

Dehwa Daymaneh In the Mandaean calendar, Dehwa Daimana (written Mandaic transliteration: ''Dihba ḏ-Yamana'', ''Dihba Daimana'', or ''Dihba Rba ḏ-Daima'') is a festival celebrating the birthday of John the Baptist, the Mandaean greatest and final prophet. ...

*July 19 – Kanshiy u-Zahly *July 20-21 – Dehwa Rabba *November 2 –

*December 17 – Ashoriya (Abu Al Haris)

References

External links

Mandaean calendar
from the Mandaean Synod of Australia {{DEFAULTSORT:Mandaean Calendar Mandaean calendar Specific calendars Calendar eras Solar calendars Liturgical calendar