Mandaean Priests
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 hold the title ''Rabbi'' or in Arabic 'Sheikh'. 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. Names In Mandaean scriptures, priests are referred to as ''Naṣuraiia'' ( myz, ࡍࡀࡑࡅࡓࡀࡉࡉࡀ, lit= Naṣoraeans) or occasionally as ''Tarmiduta''. On the other hand, laypeople are referred to as ''Mandaiia'' ( myz, ࡌࡀࡍࡃࡀࡉࡉࡀ, lit=Gnostics, Knowers, Enlightened Ones). ''Naṣuraiia'' are considered to have ''naṣ ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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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, Seth, Enos, Noah, Shem, Aram, Jesus and especially John the Baptist. Mandaeans consider Adam, Seth, Noah, Shem and John the Baptist prophets with Adam being the founder of the religion and John being the greatest and final prophet. The Mandaeans speak an Eastern Aramaic language known as Mandaic. The name 'Mandaean' comes from the Aramaic ''manda'', meaning knowledge. Within the Middle East, but outside their community, the Mandaeans are more commonly known as the (singular: ), or as Sabians (, ). The term is derived from an Aramaic root related to baptism. The term Sabians derives from the mysterious religious group mentioned three times in the Quran alongside the Jews, the Christians and the Zoroastrians as a 'People of the Book', and ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Shushtar
Shushtar ( fa, شوشتر; also Romanized as Shūshtar and Shūstar and Shooshtar) is a city and capital of Shushtar County, Khuzestan Province, Iran. Shushtar is an ancient fortress city, approximately from Ahvaz, the centre of the province. Much of its past agricultural productivity derives from the irrigation system which centered on the Band-e Kaisar, the first dam bridge in Iran. The whole water system in Shushtar consists of 13 sites called Shushtar Historical Hydraulic System which is registered as a Unesco World Heritage. History In the Elamite times Shushtar was known as ''Adamdun''. In the Achaemenian times its name was ''Šurkutir''. According to tradition, Shushtar was founded by the legendary king Hushang after he built Susa (aka Shush), and the name "Shushtar" was a comparative form meaning "more beautiful than Shush". Josef Marquart also interpreted the name Shushtar as being derived from Shush, but with a slightly different meaning, with the suffix "-tar" ind ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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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 'utras (sing.: 'utra 'wealth', but meaning 'angel' or 'guardian')." p8 Aldihisi (2008) compares them to the ''yazata'' of Zoroastrianism. According to Ethel S. Drower, "an 'uthra is an ethereal being, a spirit of light and Life." Uthras are benevolent beings that live in '' škinas'' ( myz, ࡔࡊࡉࡍࡀ, celestial dwellings) in the World of Light (''alma ḏ-nhūra'') and communicate with each other via telepathy. Uthras are also occasionally mentioned as being in ''anana'' ("clouds"; e.g., in '' Right Ginza'' Book 17, Chapter 1), which can also be interpreted as female consorts. Many uthras also serve as guardians (''naṭra''); for instance, Shilmai and Nidbai are the guardians of Piriawis, the Great Jordan (''yardna'') of Life. Etymol ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Skandola
The skandola (literally meaning "dwelling of evil") is a ritual talismanic seal used by Mandaeans to protect against evil. Description The skandola is an iron ring with a chain attached to an iron knife. It is used as a sacred talismanic seal. It is used to seal graves and also newborn babies on their navels. During wedding ceremonies, a priest gives the skandola to the bridegroom. There are incised depictions of the following animals: *Lion, representing Krun *Scorpion, representing Hag *Black snake or serpent, representing Ur *Wasp or hornet E. S. Drower notes parallels with Mithraic bas-reliefs, Yazidism, Iranian artistic symbols, and others. A Mandaean priest told Drower that the skandola was originally brought by Hibil Ziwa from the World of Darkness as he was taking Ruha along with him (a narrative found in Book 5, Chapter 1 of the '' Right Ginza''). See also *Talisman *Hamsa The ''hamsa'' ( ar, خمسة, khamsa) is a palm-shaped amulet popular throughout Nort ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Stole (vestment)
The stole is a liturgical vestment of various Christian denominations, which symbolizes priestly authority; in Protestant denominations which do not have priests but use stoles as a liturgical vestment, however, it symbolizes being a member of the ordained. It consists of a band of colored cloth, usually of silk, about seven and a half to nine feet long and three to four inches wide, whose ends may be straight or may broaden out in the shape of a spade or bell. The center of the stole is worn around the back of the neck and the two ends hang down parallel to each other in front, either attached to each other or hanging loose. The stole is almost always decorated in some way, usually with two crosses, or sometimes another significant religious design. It is often decorated with contrasting galloons (ornamental trim) and fringe is usually applied to the ends of the stole following . A piece of white linen or lace may be stitched onto the back of the collar as a sweat guard, which ca ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Margna
The margna ( myz, ࡌࡀࡓࡂࡍࡀ) 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'') is one of the weapons of Manda d-Hayyi. In the ''Qolasta'' During priestly rituals, a klila (myrtle wreath) is placed on the margna. In the Qolasta, Prayer 79 is a prayer for the klila placed on the margna. Prayer 14 in the Qolasta is dedicated to the margna. The prayer describes the margna as being covered in radiance (''ziwa'') and light (''nhura''). See also * Mandaean priest#Clothing *Aaron's rod *Staff of Moses *Staff of office *Sceptre *Was-sceptre *Caduceus *Rod of Asclepius In Greek mythology, the Rod of Asclepius (⚕; grc, Ράβδος του Ασκληπιού, , sometimes also spelled Asklepios), also known as the Staff of Aesculapius and as the asklepian, is a serpent-entwined rod wielded by t ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Litham
Litham ( ar, لِثَام, lithām , sometimes pronounced lifam) is a mouth-veil which the Tuareg and other North African nomads, particularly men, have traditionally used to cover the lower part of their face. Role and significance The litham has served as protection from the dust and extremes of temperature characterizing the desert environment. In cases of blood feuds, it also served as protection against violence by making the wearer difficult to recognize. Wearing of the litham is not viewed as a religious requirement, although it was apparently believed to provide magical protection against evil forces. History and practice Ancient African rock engravings depicting human faces with eyes but no mouth or nose suggest that the origins of litham are not only pre-Islamic but even pre-historic. The litham was commonly worn among the Berber Sanhaja tribes in north-west Africa. Its use by the Almoravids, who originated from a Sanhaja clan, gave it a political significance dur ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Pandama
The pandama ( myz, ࡐࡀࡍࡃࡀࡌࡀ) is a mouth-veil worn by Mandaean men during baptismal ceremonial rituals. It is the lower end of a cloth wrapped around the mouth and lower face to protect from water during immersion. The upper end of the cloth is used as a turban ('' burzinqa''). In the ''Qolasta'' Several prayers in the ''Qolasta'' are recited when putting on and loosening the pandama, including prayers 7 and 55. See also * Mandaean priest#Clothing * Litham, a similar veil covering the lower face worn by Tuareg men * Alasho Alasho is an indigenous Hausa long turban, worn across the head and neck. It is near identical in length, colour and dimensions to that of the Tuareg tagelmust, but is wrapped differently to the Tuareg method, leaving the sides of the head and some ..., a similar turban veil worn by Hausa men References Veils Religious headgear Shawls and wraps Scarves Mandaean clothing {{Mandaeism-stub ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Turban
A turban (from Persian دولبند, ''dulband''; 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. Communities with prominent turban-wearing traditions can be found in the Indian subcontinent, Southeast Asia, the Arabian Peninsula, the Middle East, the Balkans, the Caucasus, Central Asia, North Africa, West Africa, East Africa, and amongst some Turkic peoples in Russia as well as Ashkenazi Jews. A keski is a type of turban, a long piece of cloth roughly half the length of a traditional "single turban", but not cut and sewn to make a double-width "Double Turban" (or Double Patti). Wearing turbans is common among Sikh men, and infrequently women. They are also worn by Hindu monks. The headgear also serves as a religious observance, including among Shia Muslims, who regard turban-wearing as ''Sunnah mu’akkadah'' (confirmed tradition). The turban is also the tr ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Burzinqa
The burzinqa is a turban worn by Mandaeans, Mandaean men during masbuta, baptismal ceremonial rituals. It forms the upper end of a lengthy piece of cloth, with the lower end making up the pandama or mouth-veil. In the ''Qolasta'' Several prayers in the ''Qolasta'' are recited when putting on the burzinqa, including prayers s:Translation:Qolasta/Prayer 1, 1, s:Translation:Qolasta/Prayer 3, 3, and s:Translation:Qolasta/Prayer 5, 5. See also * Mandaean priest#Clothing * Pandama References External linksTying the turban and the sacred belt Tying the turban (video) Tying the turban (video) Religious headgear Mandaean clothing Turbans {{Mandaeism-stub ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Mandaeans Celebrating The Creation Day (Brunaya), Maysan, Iraq - Mar 17, 2019 02
Mandaeans ( ar, المندائيون ), also known as Mandaean Sabians ( ) or simply as Sabians ( ), are an ethnoreligious group who are followers of Mandaeism. They believe that John the Baptist was the final and most important prophet. They may have been among the earliest religious groups to practice baptism, as well as among the earliest adherents of Gnosticism, a belief system of which they are the last surviving representatives today. The Mandaeans were originally native speakers of Mandaic, an Eastern Aramaic language, before they nearly all switched to Iraqi Arabic or Persian as their main language. After the invasion of Iraq by the United States and its allies in 2003, the Mandaean community of Iraq, which before the war numbered 60,000-70,000 persons, collapsed due to the rise of Islamic extremism and the absence of protection against it; with most of the community relocating to Iran, Syria and Jordan, or forming diaspora communities beyond the Middle East. Mandea ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Jorunn Jacobsen Buckley
Jorunn Jacobsen Buckley (born Jorunn Jacobsen in 1944 in Norway) is an American religious studies scholar and historian of religion known for her work on Mandaeism and Gnosticism. She was a former Professor of Religion at Bowdoin College. She is known for translating the ''Scroll of Exalted Kingship'' and other Mandaean texts, as well as for her various books on the Mandaean religion and people. Jorunn Buckley was married to Thomas Buckley, an American anthropologist who died in 2015. Education Jorunn Jacobsen Buckley was born in Norway. She began her undergraduate studies during the 1960s. As an undergraduate student, she studied psychology, philosophy, and Ancient Greek, and eventually became interested in Gnosticism and Mandaeism. In 1971, she went to the University of Uppsala and then studied briefly at the University of Utrecht. She also visited Iran in 1973 to conduct fieldwork on the Mandaeans. In 1975, she began her doctoral studies at the University of Chicago Divinity S ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |