In
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, S ...
, a ʿniana ( myz, ࡏࡍࡉࡀࡍࡀ; plural form: ''ʿniania'' ) prayer is recited during rituals such as 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 ...
and priest initiation ceremonies.
There is a total of 26 ʿniana prayers. They form part of the
Qolasta
The Qolastā, Qulasta, or Qolusta ( myz, ࡒࡅࡋࡀࡎࡕࡀ; mid, Qōlutā, script=Latn) is the canonical prayer book of the Mandaeans, a Gnostic ethnoreligious group from Iraq and Iran. The Mandaic word ''qolastā'' means "collection". The p ...
.
Etymology
''ʿNiana'' literally means "response,"
since the prayers may have originally been recited in a
call and response
Call and response is a form of interaction between a speaker and an audience in which the speaker's statements ("calls") are punctuated by responses from the listeners. This form is also used in music, where it falls under the general category of ...
manner.
Manuscripts and translations
Jacques de Morgan
Jean-Jacques de Morgan (3 June 1857, Huisseau-sur-Cosson, Loir-et-Cher – 14 June 1924) was a French people, French mining engineer, geologist, and archaeologist. He was the director of antiquities in Khedivate of Egypt, Egypt during the 19th ...
's manuscript collection included a ʿniania manuscript dating back to 1833.
The prayers have been translated into English by
E. S. Drower (1959).
They have also been translated into German by
Mark Lidzbarski
Mark Lidzbarski (born Abraham Mordechai Lidzbarski, Płock, Russian Empire, 7 January 1868 – Göttingen, 13 November 1928) was a Polish philologist, Semitist and translator of Mandaean texts.
Early life and education
Lidzbarski was born in Rus ...
(1920).
[Lidzbarski, Mark. 1920. ''Mandäische Liturgien''. Abhandlungen der Königlichen Gesellschaft der Wissenschaften zu Göttingen, phil.-hist. Klasse, NF 17.1. Berlin.]
List of niana prayers
The ʿniana prayers are numbered from
78–
103 in both Drower's and Lidzbarski's versions of the
Qolasta
The Qolastā, Qulasta, or Qolusta ( myz, ࡒࡅࡋࡀࡎࡕࡀ; mid, Qōlutā, script=Latn) is the canonical prayer book of the Mandaeans, a Gnostic ethnoreligious group from Iraq and Iran. The Mandaic word ''qolastā'' means "collection". The p ...
.
*
Prayer 78
*
Prayer 79: prayer for the
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 ...
for the staff (''
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 ...
'')
*
Prayer 80
*
Prayer 81
*
Prayer 82:
mambuha
In Mandaeism, mambuha ( myz, ࡌࡀࡌࡁࡅࡄࡀ), sometimes spelled mambuga, is sacramental drinking water used in rituals such as the masbuta (baptism).
The mambuha can be served in a ''kapta'', a shallow brass drinking bowl that is 11 inches ...
prayer
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 ...
prayers:
*
Prayer 83
*
Prayer 84
*
Prayer 85
*
Prayer 86
*
Prayer 87
*
Prayer 88
*
Prayer 89
*
Prayer 90
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 ...
prayers:
*
Prayer 91
*
Prayer 92
*
Prayer 93
*
Prayer 94
*
Prayer 95
*
Prayer 96
*
Prayer 97
*
Prayer 98
*
Prayer 99
*
Prayer 100
*
Prayer 101
Communion prayer:
*
Prayer 102
Concluding prayer:
*
Prayer 103
There are also two niana poems in Book 15 of the ''
Right Ginza
The Right Ginza is one of the two parts of the Ginza Rabba, the longest and the most important holy scripture of Mandaeism. The other part of the Ginza Rabba is the Left Ginza.
Summaries of each book (or tractate), based mostly on Häberl (2007 ...
'', which are chapters 15 and 16 of Book 15. These two poems contain the refrain "when the chosen/proven pure one went away" (''kḏ azil bhira dakia'' ).
This refrain is also found in prayers 205 and 233–256 of the Qolasta.
See also
*
Qolasta
The Qolastā, Qulasta, or Qolusta ( myz, ࡒࡅࡋࡀࡎࡕࡀ; mid, Qōlutā, script=Latn) is the canonical prayer book of the Mandaeans, a Gnostic ethnoreligious group from Iraq and Iran. The Mandaic word ''qolastā'' means "collection". The p ...
*
Call and response
Call and response is a form of interaction between a speaker and an audience in which the speaker's statements ("calls") are punctuated by responses from the listeners. This form is also used in music, where it falls under the general category of ...
References
External links
ʿNiani prayers(Mandaic text from the Mandaean Network)
(Mandaic text from the Mandaean Network)
(Mandaic text from the Mandaean Network)
(Mandaic text from the Mandaean Network)
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Mandaean prayer
Mandaic words and phrases