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A Mandaean priest or ''Tarmida'' () refers to an ordained religious leader in
Mandaeism Mandaeism (Mandaic language, Classical Mandaic: ),https://qadaha.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/nhura-dictionary-mandaic-english-mandaic.pdf sometimes also known as Nasoraeanism or Sabianism, is a Gnosticism, Gnostic, Monotheism, ...
.


Overview

All priests must undergo lengthy ordination ceremonies, beginning with
tarmida A tarmida (singular form in , plural form in ; ; ) is a junior Mandaean priest, priest in Mandaeism. Ganzibras, or head priests, rank above tarmidas.Drower, E. S. 1960. ''The Secret Adam: A Study of Nasoraean Gnosis''. Oxford: Clarendon Press. ...
initiation. Mandaean religious leaders and copyists of religious texts hold the title in Arabic,
Sheikh Sheikh ( , , , , ''shuyūkh'' ) is an honorific title in the Arabic language, literally meaning "elder (administrative title), elder". It commonly designates a tribal chief or a Muslim ulama, scholar. Though this title generally refers to me ...
. In Iran, they are also occasionally referred to as
Mullah Mullah () is an honorific title for Islam, Muslim clergy and mosque Imam, leaders. The term is widely used in Iran and Afghanistan and is also used for a person who has higher education in Islamic theology and Sharia, sharia law. The title h ...
. All Mandaean communities traditionally require the presence of a priest, since priests are required to officiate over all important religious rituals, including
masbuta Maṣbuta (; pronounced ''maṣwottā'' in Neo-Mandaic) is the ritual of immersion in water in the Mandaean religion. Overview Mandaeans revere John the Baptist and practice frequent baptism (''masbuta'') as ritual purification, not of initia ...
,
masiqta The masiqta () 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 for Mandaeans who have just di ...
, birth and wedding ceremonies. Priests also serve as teachers, scribes, and community leaders. Many Mandaean diaspora communities do not have easy access to priests. Due to the shortage of priests in the Mandaean diaspora, ''halala'' () or learned Mandaean laymen who are ritually clean (both individually and in terms of family background) can sometimes assume minor roles typically assumed by ordained priests. Such laymen taking on limited priestly roles are called ''paisaq'' (). Ritually clean laymen who are literate in Mandaic and can read Mandaean scriptures are known as ''yalufa'' ().


Names

In
Mandaean scriptures This article contains a list of Mandaic manuscripts, which are almost entirely Mandaean religious texts written in Classical Mandaic. Well-known Mandaean texts include the ''Ginza Rabba'' (also known as the ''Sidra Rabbā''), the ''Mandaean ...
, priests are referred to as ''Naṣuraiia'' () or occasionally as ''Tarmiduta''. On the other hand, laypeople are referred to as ''Mandaiia'' (). ''Naṣuraiia'' are considered to have ''naṣiruta'', or esoteric divine knowledge. (
Brikha Nasoraia Rishama Brikha H. S. Nasoraia (full name: Brikha Haithem Saed Naṣoraia; ; born 1964 in Iraq) is an Iraqi-Australian Mandaean priest and scholar based in Sydney, Australia. He is affiliated with the University of Sydney and Mardin Artuklu Univ ...
describes ''naṣiruta'' as the esoteric strand of Mandaeism, similar to how
Sufism Sufism ( or ) is a mysticism, mystic body of religious practice found within Islam which is characterized by a focus on Islamic Tazkiyah, purification, spirituality, ritualism, and Asceticism#Islam, asceticism. Practitioners of Sufism are r ...
is related to Islam.)


Priests

There are three types of priests in
Mandaeism Mandaeism (Mandaic language, Classical Mandaic: ),https://qadaha.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/nhura-dictionary-mandaic-english-mandaic.pdf sometimes also known as Nasoraeanism or Sabianism, is a Gnosticism, Gnostic, Monotheism, ...
: *'' rišama'' (; ) "leader of the people" *''
ganzibria A ganzibra (singular form in , plural form in , literally 'treasurer' in Mandaic; ) is a high priest in Mandaeism. Tarmidas, or junior priests, rank below the ganzibras.Drower, E. S. 1960. ''The Secret Adam: A Study of Nasoraean Gnosis''. Oxford: ...
'' () "treasurers" (from Old Persian ''ganza-bara'' "id.," Neo-Mandaic ''ganzeḇrānā'') *'' tarmidia'' () "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 This article contains a list of Mandaic manuscripts, which are almost entirely Mandaeism, Mandaean religious texts written in Classical Mandaic language, Mandaic. Well-known Mandaean texts include the ''Ginza Rabba'' (also known as the ''Sidra ...
. The position is not hereditary, and any ''yalufa'' (''yalupa''), or Mandaean male who is highly knowledgeable about religious matters, is eligible to become a priest. 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 Hilow Rishama Sattar Jabbar Hilow al-Zahrooni (; also known as His Holiness Ganzevra Sattar Jabbar Hilo al-Zahrony; born 1956, Al-Kahla District, Al-Kahla, Maysan Governorate, Iraq) is the patriarch and international head of the Mandaeism, Mandaean r ...
al-Zahrony. In Australia, the ''rišama'' of the Mandaean community is
Salah Choheili Rishama Salah Choheili (; also known as Ganzibra Ṣalah Jabbar Ṭawus Choheili; Salah Al-Kuhaili; born 1952, Ahvaz, Iran) is an Iranian Mandaean priest in Australia. He is the head priest of Ganzibra Dakhil Mandi in Liverpool, New South Wales, ...
. A ''
shganda In Mandaeism, a shganda (''šganda''; ), shkanda (), or ashganda (''ʔšganda'')Drower, E. S. 1960. ''The Secret Adam: A Study of Nasoraean Gnosis''. Oxford: Clarendon Press. is a ritual assistant who helps priests with ritual duties. In the Man ...
'' (''šganda'') or ''ashganda'' (''ašganda'')Drower, E. S. 1960. ''The Secret Adam: A Study of Nasoraean Gnosis''. Oxford: Clarendon Press. 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.


History

Zazai of Gawazta Zazai of Gawazta (Zazai ḏ-Gawazta, ; also Zazai ḏ-Gawazta bar Hawa, or Zazai of Gawazta, son of Naṭar) was a 3rd-century Mandaean priest. He is listed as the first copyist in the colophons of many Mandaean texts. Zazai of Gawazta is ment ...
, who was active during the 270s AD during the reign of Sasanian Emperor
Bahram I Bahram I (also spelled Wahram I or Warahran I; ) was the fourth Sasanian King of Kings of Iran from 271 to 274. He was the eldest son of Shapur I () and succeeded his brother Hormizd I (), who had reigned for a year. Bahram I's reign marked th ...
, is widely considered to be one of the first Mandaean priests. During the Muslim conquests of the 630s, the Mandaean priest
Anush bar Danqa Anush bar Danqa () was a 7th-century Mandaean priest who was active around the Muslim conquest of Persia. According to Mandaean tradition, he led a delegation of Mandaeans to the Muslim authorities in Basra in the year 650/651 CE. Some scholars h ...
, led a delegation before the Muslim authorities to have the Mandaeans recognized as a
People of the Book People of the Book, or ''Ahl al-Kitāb'' (), is a classification in Islam for the adherents of those religions that are regarded by Muslims as having received a divine revelation from Allah, generally in the form of a holy scripture. The clas ...
. The contemporary Mandaean priesthood can trace its immediate origins to the first half of the 19th century. In 1831, a cholera pandemic in
Shushtar Shushtar () is a city in the Central District of Shushtar County, Khuzestan province, Iran, serving as capital of both the county and the district. Shushtar is an ancient fortress city, approximately from Ahvaz, the centre of the province ...
,
Iran Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI) and also known as Persia, is a country in West Asia. It borders Iraq to the west, Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Armenia to the northwest, the Caspian Sea to the north, Turkmenistan to the nort ...
devastated the region and eliminated all of the Mandaean religious leaders there. Two of the surviving acolytes ('' šgandia''),
Yahia Bihram Yahya Bihram (also spelled Yahia Bihram; ) was a 19th-century Mandaean priest. Although initially a learned layman (''yalufa''), he became known for reviving the Mandaean priesthood after a cholera epidemic had killed all living Mandaean priests ...
and
Ram Zihrun Ram Zihrun () was a 19th-century Mandaean priest. Although initially a learned layman (''yalufa''), he became known for reviving the Mandaean priesthood together with his cousin Yahya Bihram after a cholera epidemic had killed all living Mandaean ...
, reestablished the Mandaean priesthood in Suq esh-Shuyuk on the basis of their own training and the texts that were available to them. Although Mandaean priests have been exclusively male since the 1900s, Buckley (2010) presents evidence that there had historically been Mandaean priests who were women, including Bibia Mudalal (the wife of
Ram Zihrun Ram Zihrun () was a 19th-century Mandaean priest. Although initially a learned layman (''yalufa''), he became known for reviving the Mandaean priesthood together with his cousin Yahya Bihram after a cholera epidemic had killed all living Mandaean ...
during the 19th century) and
Shlama beth Qidra Shlama beth Qidra (Šlama, daughter of Qidra, ), also known as Shalma beth Qidra, was a female Mandaean priest and scribe who was active around 200 AD. Her name is found in the colophons of Left Ginza manuscripts, which do not bear the name of ...
(Šlama, daughter of Qidra, from the 3rd century AD).


Clothing

Ritual clothing and accessories worn by Mandaean priests include: *''
Burzinqa The burzinqa () is a turban worn by Mandaean men during baptismal ceremonial rituals. It forms the upper end of a lengthy piece of cotton cloth. For priests who are performing rituals, the loose lower end, called the ''rugza'' (), can be used as ...
'':
turban A turban (from Persian language, Persian دولبند‌, ''dolband''; via Middle French ''turbant'') is a type of headwear based on cloth winding. Featuring many variations, it is worn as customary headwear by people of various cultures. Commun ...
*''
Pandama The pandama () is a mouth-veil worn by Mandaean priests while performing baptismal ceremonial rituals. It is the loose end of the burzinqa (turban) and is wrapped around the mouth and lower face. The pandama also protects the face from water durin ...
'': cloth wrapped around the mouth and lower face (similar to the Tuareg
litham Litham (, sometimes pronounced lifam) is a mouth-veil which the Tuareg and other West and North African nomads, particularly men, have traditionally used to cover the lower part of their face. Role and significance The litham has served as pr ...
) *''Naṣifa'': stole *''Kanzala'' or ''kinzala'': stole, when held under the chin *''
Himiana The himiana (; modern Mandaic pronunciation: ''hemyanā'') is a sacred ritual girdle or belt used by the Mandaeans. Traditionally, it is white, tubular, and made of wool. Etymology ''Himiana'' is a Persian loanword, like burzinqa (turban) and ...
'': sacred ritual
girdle A belt without a buckle, especially if a cord or rope, is called a girdle in various contexts, especially historical ones, where girdles were a very common part of everyday clothing from antiquity until perhaps the 15th century, especially for w ...
(belt) used by priests *''
Margna The margna () is a ritual olive wooden staff carried by Mandaean priests. A Mandaean priest always carries his margna during baptismal (masbuta) rituals. According to the ''Right Ginza'', the ''margna'' (staff) of Living Water (''Mia Hayya'') i ...
'': wooden staff made from an olive branch *'' 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. *''Gdada'': strip of white cloth used to protect items from pollution, or the server from contact Mandaean priests are dressed completely in white to symbolize radiant
uthra An uthra or ʿutra (, Neo-Mandaic ''oṯrɔ'', traditionally transliterated ''eutra''; plural: ʿuthrē, traditionally transliterated ''eutria'') is a "divine messenger of the light" in Mandaeism. Charles G. Häberl and James F. McGrath transl ...
s from the
World of Light In Mandaeism, the World of Light or Lightworld () is the primeval, transcendental world from which Tibil and the World of Darkness emerged. Description *The Great Life ('' Hayyi Rabbi'' or Supreme God/ Monad) is the ruler of the World of Ligh ...
.


Alms

Mandaean priests regularly receive ''
zidqa In Mandaeism, zidqa () refers to alms or almsgiving.Drower, Ethel Stefana. 1937. ''The Mandaeans of Iraq and Iran''. Oxford At The Clarendon Press. Mandaean priests receive regular financial contributions from laypeople, since priesthood is typic ...
'' (alms) from laypeople, since priesthood is typically a full-time occupation.


Symbolism

Symbolically, a Mandaean priest represents an
uthra An uthra or ʿutra (, Neo-Mandaic ''oṯrɔ'', traditionally transliterated ''eutra''; plural: ʿuthrē, traditionally transliterated ''eutria'') is a "divine messenger of the light" in Mandaeism. Charles G. Häberl and James F. McGrath transl ...
on earth (
Tibil In Mandaean cosmology, Tibil () or occasionally Arqa ḏ-Tibil (lit. "Tibil-Earth") is the Earth (World) or earthly middle realm. It is separated from the World of Light (''alma ḏ-nhūra'') above and the World of Darkness (Mandaeism), World of D ...
).
Shishlam In Mandaeism, Shishlam (;) is a figure representing the prototypical Mandaean priest or Mandaean. He is also frequently referred to in Mandaean texts as Šišlam Rabba (. Shishlam is sometimes identified with Adam Kasia, the "Perfect Man". I ...
is the personification of the prototypical or
archetypal The concept of an archetype ( ) appears in areas relating to behavior, History of psychology#Emergence of German experimental psychology, historical psychology, philosophy and literary analysis. An archetype can be any of the following: # a stat ...
Mandaean priest.


Statistics

As of 2016, Rishama
Salah Choheili Rishama Salah Choheili (; also known as Ganzibra Ṣalah Jabbar Ṭawus Choheili; Salah Al-Kuhaili; born 1952, Ahvaz, Iran) is an Iranian Mandaean priest in Australia. He is the head priest of Ganzibra Dakhil Mandi in Liverpool, New South Wales, ...
estimated a total number of 43–44 Mandaean priests in the world, including tarmidas, ganzibras, and rishamas. * — 13, including Rishama
Salah Choheili Rishama Salah Choheili (; also known as Ganzibra Ṣalah Jabbar Ṭawus Choheili; Salah Al-Kuhaili; born 1952, Ahvaz, Iran) is an Iranian Mandaean priest in Australia. He is the head priest of Ganzibra Dakhil Mandi in Liverpool, New South Wales, ...
, Rishama
Brikha Nasoraia Rishama Brikha H. S. Nasoraia (full name: Brikha Haithem Saed Naṣoraia; ; born 1964 in Iraq) is an Iraqi-Australian Mandaean priest and scholar based in Sydney, Australia. He is affiliated with the University of Sydney and Mardin Artuklu Univ ...
, Ganzibra
Khaldoon Majid Abdullah Ganzibra Khaldoon Majid Abdullah (; born 16 March 1963, in Amarah, Maysan Governorate, Iraq) is an Iraqi-Australian Mandaean priest. He is currently the ganzibra (senior priest) of Yahya Yuhana Mandi (also known as Mandi Yehya Yahana or Mandi Yeh ...
, Tarmida
Sahi Bashikh Tarmida Sahi Bashikh Al-Zahrooni (, also known as Sahi Khamisi ; born 1966, in Susangerd, Khuzestan, Iran) is an Iranian-Australian Mandaean priest. He is a priest at Yahya Yuhana Mandi in Sydney, Australia. Biography He was born in Susangerd, K ...
, Tarmida
Yuhana Nashmi Yuhana Nashmi (; Mandaic language, Mandaic: ; also known as Sheikh Alaa Nashmi or Ala’a Nashmi; ) is an Iraqi-Australian visual artist and ceramicist. Early life Nashmi was born in Baghdad, Iraq. His ''malwasha'' (Mandaean name, baptismal name ...
, and Tarmida Thamir Shamkhi * — 12, led by Rishama
Sattar Jabbar Hilo Rishama Sattar Jabbar Hilow al-Zahrooni (; also known as His Holiness Ganzevra Sattar Jabbar Hilo al-Zahrony; born 1956, Al-Kahla, Maysan Governorate, Iraq) is the patriarch and international head of the Mandaean religion. He is currently bas ...
* — 6, including Ganzibra
Najah Choheili Ganzibra Najah Choheili () is an Iranian Mandaean priest who currently serves as the head of the Mandaean community in Iran. Biography Najah Choheili was born in Ahvaz, Iran into the Kuhailia (Persian pronunciation: ''Choheili'') family. His fa ...
, Ganzibra
Taleb Doraji Ganzibra Taleb Doraji (also spelled Taleb Doragi, Taleb Dorragi, or Talib Durašia (); born 1937 in Ahvaz, Iran) is an Iranian Mandaean priest and goldsmith from Ahvaz, Khuzestan. He became a tarmida in 1998 and later attained the rank of ganzi ...
, and Tarmida Behram Khafajy * — 2 * — 1 * — 3, including Ganzibra Walid Ebadfardzadeh and Fawzi Masboob (died 2022) * — 2, including Tarmida
Rafid al-Sabti Rbai Rafid al-Sabti, known in full as Rafid al-Rishama Abdallah al-Ganzibra Zahrun al-Rishama Abdallah al-Sabti (; born 1965, Iraq), is an Iraqi-Dutch Mandaean priest in Nijmegen, Netherlands. Biography Al-Sabti was born in 1965 to Rishama Ab ...
* — 1 * — Ganzibra
Salwan Alkhamas Ganzibra Salwan Alkhamas (, also known as Salwan Shakir Khamas; born 27 March 1970, Basra Governorate, Iraq) is an Iraqi-Swedish Mandaean priest currently serving as the head priest of the Mandaean community in Sweden. Salwan Alkhamas initially ...
and others There are a few Mandaean priests in
Sweden Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden, is a Nordic countries, Nordic country located on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. It borders Norway to the west and north, and Finland to the east. At , Sweden is the largest Nordic count ...
, including Ganzibra
Salwan Alkhamas Ganzibra Salwan Alkhamas (, also known as Salwan Shakir Khamas; born 27 March 1970, Basra Governorate, Iraq) is an Iraqi-Swedish Mandaean priest currently serving as the head priest of the Mandaean community in Sweden. Salwan Alkhamas initially ...
of
Södertälje Södertälje ( , ) is a Urban areas in Sweden, city in Stockholm County, Sweden and seat of Södertälje Municipality. It is also a part of Stockholm urban area, Greater Stockholm Metropolitan Area. As of 2020, it has 73,872 inhabitants. Södert� ...
and Tarmida Qais Edan of
Malmö Malmö is the List of urban areas in Sweden by population, third-largest city in Sweden, after Stockholm and Gothenburg, and the List of urban areas in the Nordic countries, sixth-largest city in Nordic countries, the Nordic region. Located on ...
. Buckley (2023) reported that in 2015, there were 8 Mandaean priests in Sweden. In 2016,
Salah Choheili Rishama Salah Choheili (; also known as Ganzibra Ṣalah Jabbar Ṭawus Choheili; Salah Al-Kuhaili; born 1952, Ahvaz, Iran) is an Iranian Mandaean priest in Australia. He is the head priest of Ganzibra Dakhil Mandi in Liverpool, New South Wales, ...
also estimated a total number of 16
shganda In Mandaeism, a shganda (''šganda''; ), shkanda (), or ashganda (''ʔšganda'')Drower, E. S. 1960. ''The Secret Adam: A Study of Nasoraean Gnosis''. Oxford: Clarendon Press. is a ritual assistant who helps priests with ritual duties. In the Man ...
s in the world who could potentially become tarmidas, 4 of whom were in Australia. During the 2000s, Rishama Abdullah Ganzibra Najam () was one of the few high-ranking Mandaean priests in the Netherlands.


See also

*
List of Mandaean priests This article contains a list of historical and active Mandaean priests, all of whom have the ranks of Rishama, Ganzibra or Tarmida. Mandaean priestly families include the Manduia (Manduwi), Kupašia ( Khaffagi), Kuhailia ( Choheili), and Durakia ...
*
Choheili family Choheili or Chohaili (; , Al-Kuhaili or Al-Kuhailia; ) is an Iranian and Iraqi Mandaean surname or family name. The Choheili (Kuhailia) family has produced many Mandaean priests. Notable people with the surname include: *Jabbar Choheili (1923– ...
*
Khaffagi family The Khaffagi (also spelled Khaffagy, Khaffajy, Khafajy; ; or ; written Mandaic: Kupašia ) family is a Mandaean priestly family with origins in Khuzestan, Iran, although some family members also lived in southern Iraq. The family's genealogy c ...
*
Shishlam In Mandaeism, Shishlam (;) is a figure representing the prototypical Mandaean priest or Mandaean. He is also frequently referred to in Mandaean texts as Šišlam Rabba (. Shishlam is sometimes identified with Adam Kasia, the "Perfect Man". I ...
, a literary representation of the prototypical Mandaean priest *
Kohanim Kohen (, ; , ، Arabic كاهن , Kahen) is the Hebrew word for "priest", used in reference to the Aaronic priesthood, also called Aaronites or Aaronides. They are traditionally believed, and halakhically required, to be of direct patriline ...
, priests in Judaism *
Ašipu In ancient Mesopotamia, the ašipu (also āšipu or mašmaššu) acted as priests. They were scholars and practitioners of diagnosis and treatment in the Tigris and Euphrates valley (now Iraq) around 3200 BC. Etymology Sumerian and Akkadian r ...
, a priest in ancient Mesopotamia


Further reading

* * * * *


References


External links


The Worlds of Mandaean Priests
{{Mandaeism footer