In the

Mandaean calendar 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 ...

, 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 Taura is a municipality in the district of Mittelsachsen, in Saxony, Germany. Personalities * Johann Esche (1682-1752), born in today's local part of Köthensdorf, German stocking manufacturer * Max Unger (1883-1959), musicologist, Beethoven ...

, which is the 4th month of the

that corresponds to the Hebrew month

Iyar Iyar ( he, אִייָר or , Standard ''ʾĪyyar'' Tiberian ''ʾĪyyār''; from akk, 𒌗 𒄞 itiayari " rosette; blossom") is the eighth month of the civil year (which starts on 1 Tishrei) and the second month of the Jewish religious year (w ...

. Dehwa Hanina commemorates the ascension of

Hibil Ziwa In Mandaeism, Hibil ( myz, ࡄࡉࡁࡉࡋ) or Hibil Ziwa ( myz, ࡄࡉࡁࡉࡋ ࡆࡉࡅࡀ) is an uthra (angel or guardian) from the World of Light. Hibil is considered to be the Mandaean equivalent of Abel. Prayers in the Qolasta frequently c ...

from the

underworld The underworld, also known as the netherworld or hell, is the supernatural world of the dead in various religious traditions and myths, located below the world of the living. Chthonic is the technical adjective for things of the underworld. ...

(World of Darkness) to the

World of Light In Mandaeism, the World of Light or Lightworld ( myz, ࡀࡋࡌࡀ ࡖࡍࡄࡅࡓࡀ, translit=alma ḏ-nhūra) is the primeval, transcendental world from which Tibil and the World of Darkness emerged. Description *The Great Life (''Hayyi Rabbi ...

. Mandaean families visit each other and have a special breakfast of rice, yogurt, dates, and sesame seeds. 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). Mandaean families also clean their houses, wear new clothes, light candles, burn

incense Incense is aromatic biotic material that releases fragrant smoke when burnt. The term is used for either the material or the aroma. Incense is used for aesthetic reasons, religious worship, aromatherapy, meditation, and ceremony. It may also be ...

, and pray.

Symbolism

The festival symbolizes three things: *The victory of light over darkness, and the re-balancing of the universe *Creation of light and life on

Tibil In Mandaean cosmology, Tibil ( myz, ࡕࡉࡁࡉࡋ) 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 (' ...

, and the birth of

Ptahil In Mandaeism, Ptahil ( myz, ࡐࡕࡀࡄࡉࡋ) also known as Ptahil-Uthra (uthra = angel or guardian), is the Fourth Life, the third of three emanations from the First Life, Hayyi Rabbi, after Yushamin and Abatur. Ptahil-Uthra alone does not con ...

from the marriage of

Hibil In Mandaeism, Hibil ( myz, ࡄࡉࡁࡉࡋ) or Hibil Ziwa ( myz, ࡄࡉࡁࡉࡋ ࡆࡉࡅࡀ) is an uthra (angel or guardian) from the World of Light. Hibil is considered to be the Mandaean equivalent of Abel. Prayers in the Qolasta frequently c ...

and Zahriel *The

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 for ...

of Gabriel: baptizing him 360 times before re-entering the World of Light

References

{{Mandaeism footer Observances on non-Gregorian calendars Mandaean holidays

Symbolism

See also

References