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The masiqta ( myz, ࡌࡀࡎࡉࡒࡕࡀ) is a mass or ritual practiced in the
Mandaean religion in order to help guide the soul (''
nišimta
In Mandaeism, the nishimta ( myz, ࡍࡉࡔࡉࡌࡕࡀ ; plural: ) or nishma ( myz, ࡍࡉࡔࡌࡀ ) is the human soul. It is can also be considered as equivalent to the " psyche" or " ego". It is distinct from ''ruha'' ('spirit'), as well as fr ...
'') towards 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 ...
in
Mandaean cosmology
Mandaean cosmology is the Gnostic conception of the universe in the religion of Mandaeism.
Mandaean cosmology is strongly influenced by Jewish, Babylonian, Persian, Egyptian, Greek, Manichaean and other Near Eastern religions and philosophies.
E ...
.
They are typically performed as funerary rites for Mandaeans who have just died. Although usually translated as "death mass", a few types of ''masiqta'' are also performed for living people, such as when priests are ordained.
Purpose
The complex ritual involves guiding the soul through the ''
maṭarta
In Mandaean cosmology, a maṭarta ( myz, ࡌࡀࡈࡀࡓࡕࡀ; plural form: ''maṭarata'') is a "station" or "toll house" that is located between the World of Light (''alma ḏ-nhūra'') from Tibil (Earth). It has variously been translated as " ...
'', or toll houses located between the Earth (
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
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 ...
, which are guarded by various
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 'utr ...
s and demons.
A successful masiqta merges the incarnate
soul
In many religious and philosophical traditions, there is a belief that a soul is "the immaterial aspect or essence of a human being".
Etymology
The Modern English noun ''soul'' is derived from Old English ''sāwol, sāwel''. The earliest attes ...
( myz, ࡍࡉࡔࡉࡌࡕࡀ ; roughly equivalent to the ''
psyche
Psyche (''Psyché'' in French) is the Greek term for "soul" (ψυχή).
Psyche may also refer to:
Psychology
* Psyche (psychology), the totality of the human mind, conscious and unconscious
* ''Psyche'', an 1846 book about the unconscious by Car ...
'' or "
ego" in
Greek philosophy
Ancient Greek philosophy arose in the 6th century BC, marking the end of the Greek Dark Ages. Greek philosophy continued throughout the Hellenistic period and the period in which Greece and most Greek-inhabited lands were part of the Roman Empir ...
) and
spirit
Spirit or spirits may refer to:
Liquor and other volatile liquids
* Spirits, a.k.a. liquor, distilled alcoholic drinks
* Spirit or tincture, an extract of plant or animal material dissolved in ethanol
* Volatile (especially flammable) liquids, ...
( myz, ࡓࡅࡄࡀ ; roughly equivalent to the ''
pneuma
''Pneuma'' () is an ancient Greek word for "breath", and in a religious context for " spirit" or "soul". It has various technical meanings for medical writers and philosophers of classical antiquity, particularly in regard to physiology, and is ...
'' or "breath" in Greek philosophy) from the Earth (
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 (' ...
) into a new merged entity in the World of Light called the ''ʿuṣṭuna''. The ''ʿuṣṭuna'' can then reunite with its heavenly, non-incarnate counterpart (or spiritual image), the ''
dmuta
In Mandaeism, a dmuta ( myz, ࡃࡌࡅࡕࡀ, lit=image) or dmut is a spiritual counterpart or "mirror image" in the World of Light. People, spirits, and places are often considered to have both earthly and heavenly counterparts (''dmuta'') that ...
'', in 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 ...
, where it will reside in the world of ideal counterparts (''
Mšunia Kušṭa
In Mandaean cosmology, Mshunia Kushta ( myz, ࡌࡔࡅࡍࡉࡀ ࡊࡅࡔࡈࡀ, translit=Mšunia Kušṭa, lit=realm of truth) is a part of the World of Light considered to be the dwelling place of heavenly or ideal counterparts ('' dmuta''). It ...
'').
Types
There are several different types of masiqtas depending on the cause or timing of the death.
Adam
Adam; el, Ἀδάμ, Adám; la, Adam is the name given in Genesis 1-5 to the first human. Beyond its use as the name of the first man, ''adam'' is also used in the Bible as a pronoun, individually as "a human" and in a collective sense as " ...
and Sheetil (
Seth
Seth,; el, Σήθ ''Sḗth''; ; "placed", "appointed") in Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Mandaeism, and Sethianism, was the third son of Adam and Eve and brother of Cain and Abel, their only other child mentioned by name in the Hebrew Bible. A ...
) both have masiqtas named after them.
The masiqta of Sheetil (described in the ''
1012 Questions''
) is performed for certain unclean deaths, such as:
*priests who die without their
myrtle wreaths (''
klila
In Mandaeism, the klila ( myz, ࡊࡋࡉࡋࡀ) is a small myrtle (''asa'') wreath or ring (translated as "circlet" by E. S. Drower) used during Mandaean religious rituals. The klila is a female symbol that complements the '' taga'', a white cro ...
'') or otherwise improperly clad
*women who die on or after the 7th day after childbirth
*people dying during the 36 hours of seclusion on
New Year's Eve
In the Gregorian calendar, New Year's Eve, also known as Old Year's Day or Saint Sylvester's Day in many countries, is the evening or the entire day of the last day of the year, on 31 December. The last day of the year is commonly referred to ...
(
Kanshiy u-Zahly)
The masiqta of Adam is performed for people who have died on one of the ''mbaṭṭal'' days, such as on
Dehwa Rabba (
New Year's Day
New Year's Day is a festival observed in most of the world on 1 January, the first day of the year in the modern Gregorian calendar. 1 January is also New Year's Day on the Julian calendar, but this is not the same day as the Gregorian one. Wh ...
).
The masiqta of Adam and the masiqta of Sheetil are both performed together for people dying in one place but are being buried in another.
The
Ṭabahata Masiqta
The ''Scroll of the Ancestors'' ( myz, ࡔࡀࡓࡇ ࡖࡈࡀࡁࡀࡄࡀࡕࡀ ) is a Mandaean religious text that describes the rituals of the Ṭabahata (ancestors') masiqta, held during the 5-day Parwanaya festival.
Manuscripts
Copies of t ...
, or the "masiqta of the Parents", is held only once a year during the
Parwanaya
Parwanaya ( myz, ࡐࡀࡓࡅࡀࡍࡀࡉࡉࡀ; ar, البرونايا) or Panja (from Persian 'five') is a 5-day religious festival in the Mandaean calendar. The 5 epagomenals (extra days) inserted at the end of every Šumbulta (the 8th month) ...
intercalary
Intercalation may refer to:
*Intercalation (chemistry), insertion of a molecule (or ion) into layered solids such as graphite
* Intercalation (timekeeping), insertion of a leap day, week or month into some calendar years to make the calendar foll ...
festival. Priests recite dozens of prayers, prepare 72 ''
faṭira
In Mandaeism, faṭira ( myz, ࡐࡀࡈࡉࡓࡀ; plural form: ''faṭiri''Drower, Ethel Stefana. 1937. ''The Mandaeans of Iraq and Iran''. Oxford At The Clarendon Press.) is a small, round, saltless, half-baked biscuit. Faṭiras are used in ritu ...
s'' (small, round, saltless, half-baked biscuits for ritual use) symbolizing ancestors, and also sacrifice a white dove, called ''Ba'', which symbolizes the spirit. The ''Šarḥ ḏ-Ṭabahata'' ("The Scroll of Ṭabahata," or "The
Scroll of the Ancestors
The ''Scroll of the Ancestors'' ( myz, ࡔࡀࡓࡇ ࡖࡈࡀࡁࡀࡄࡀࡕࡀ ) is a Mandaean religious text that describes the rituals of the Ṭabahata (ancestors') masiqta, held during the 5-day Parwanaya festival.
Manuscripts
Copies of th ...
") describes aspects of this masiqta. According to the ''
1012 Questions'', this masiqta cannot be held at any other time other than during the
Parwanaya
Parwanaya ( myz, ࡐࡀࡓࡅࡀࡍࡀࡉࡉࡀ; ar, البرونايا) or Panja (from Persian 'five') is a 5-day religious festival in the Mandaean calendar. The 5 epagomenals (extra days) inserted at the end of every Šumbulta (the 8th month) ...
.
Other masiqtas are listed below.
*The Bukra is the first masiqta performed by a priest after ordination (i.e., newly consecrated ''
ganzabra'').
*The Dabahata or Ṭabahata is celebrated in the names of a man and a woman, and linked with the celebration of ''Dukrana lhdaia rba zadiqa''.
*The
masiqta of Zihrun Raza Kasia
The ''Šarḥ ḏ-Zihrun Raza Kasia'' ( myz, ࡔࡀࡓࡇ ࡖࡆࡉࡄࡓࡅࡍ ࡓࡀࡆࡀ ࡊࡀࡎࡉࡀ; "The Scroll of Zihrun, the Hidden Mystery") is a Mandaean religious text that describes rituals such as the masbuta, masiqta, and other ...
is performed for people who have died during one of the minor ''mbaṭṭal'' days (inauspicious days during which all rituals are forbidden), etc. The ''Šarḥ ḏ-
Zihrun Raza Kasia
The ''Šarḥ ḏ-Zihrun Raza Kasia'' ( myz, ࡔࡀࡓࡇ ࡖࡆࡉࡄࡓࡅࡍ ࡓࡀࡆࡀ ࡊࡀࡎࡉࡀ; "The Scroll of Zihrun, the Hidden Mystery") is a Mandaean religious text that describes rituals such as the masbuta, masiqta, and other ...
'' ("The
asiqtaof Zihrun, the Hidden Mystery") is a Mandaean religious text that describes the ritual and prayer sequence for this masiqta, as well as for the
Masbuta of Zihrun Raza Kasia
The ''Šarḥ ḏ-Zihrun Raza Kasia'' ( myz, ࡔࡀࡓࡇ ࡖࡆࡉࡄࡓࡅࡍ ࡓࡀࡆࡀ ࡊࡀࡎࡉࡀ; "The Scroll of Zihrun, the Hidden Mystery") is a Mandaean religious text that describes rituals such as the masbuta, masiqta, and other ...
.
This masiqta is also described in the ''
1012 Questions'', which also describes the "masiqta of the dukrania."
*The masiqta of Samandriʿil: is performed for people who have died from burns, trees falls, or drowning. (Samandriʿil is the name of an
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 'utr ...
.)
*The masiqta of Kanat is performed for women who died during pregnancy. (Kanat, also known as Kanat Niṭufta in the ''
Asiet Malkia
The ''Asiet Malkia'' ("Salutation of Kings") is one of the most commonly recited prayers in Mandaeism. In the prayer, the reciter wishes health and victory (''asuta u-zakuta'' ) upon dozens of heavenly and ancestral figures. According to E. S. Dr ...
'',
is the name of an uthra.)
*The masiqta of Hai-Šūm is performed for people who have died from snakebites. (Hai-Šūm is the name of an uthra.)
There are also other masiqtas for bridegrooms who have died during wedding ceremonies, and for moving the remains of a dead person.
See also
*
Masbuta
Maṣbuta ( myz, ࡌࡀࡑࡁࡅࡕࡀ) is the ritual of immersion in water in the Mandaeism, Mandaean religion.
Overview
Mandaeans revere John the Baptist and practice frequent baptism (''masbuta'') as a Ritual purification, ritual of purificati ...
*
Requiem
A Requiem or Requiem Mass, also known as Mass for the dead ( la, Missa pro defunctis) or Mass of the dead ( la, Missa defunctorum), is a Mass of the Catholic Church offered for the repose of the soul or souls of one or more deceased persons, ...
*
Prayer for the dead
Religions with the belief in a future judgment, a resurrection of the dead or a purgatory often offer prayers on behalf of the dead to God.
Buddhism
For most funerals that follow the tradition of Chinese Buddhism, common practices include chantin ...
*
*
Bariah
Bariah or Baptism for the Dead is only mentioned in . This expression as used by the apostle may be equivalent to saying, "He who goes through a baptism of blood in order to join a glorified church which has no existence .e., if the dead rise not ...
*
Qeej
Hmong music is an important part of the culture of the Hmong people, an ethnic group from southeast Asia. Because the Hmong language is Tone (linguistics), tonal, there is a close connection between Hmong music and the spoken language. Music is ...
, used to guide departed souls in Hmong rituals
References
External links
Tamasha (Cleansing) and Masiqtaperformed at the 2014
Parwanaya
Parwanaya ( myz, ࡐࡀࡓࡅࡀࡍࡀࡉࡉࡀ; ar, البرونايا) or Panja (from Persian 'five') is a 5-day religious festival in the Mandaean calendar. The 5 epagomenals (extra days) inserted at the end of every Šumbulta (the 8th month) ...
festival at the
Nepean River
Nepean River (Darug: Yandhai), is a major perennial river, located in the south-west and west of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. The Nepean River and its associated mouth, the Hawkesbury River, almost encircles the metropolitan region of ...
in Australia
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