Tarmida

A tarmida (singular form in myz, ࡕࡀࡓࡌࡉࡃࡀ, lit=disciple, plural form in myz, ࡕࡀࡓࡌࡉࡃࡉࡀ ; fa, ترمیدا; ar, ترميذة) is a junior 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.

Ordination

Tarmida initiates or novices ( ) can come from any "pure" family. In other words, the families must be ritually pure, meaning that there are no family members who have committed grave sins. Ritually pure laymen are also known as ''hallali'' in Mandaic. Typically, the novices have been trained as ritual assistants (''šganda'' or ''ašganda'') when they were children. Initiates may or may not be married, although typically they are not yet married.

In order to be ordained as a tarmida, the initiate ( ) must go through a complex series of initiation rituals lasting 68 days. Various rituals are performed by the initiator priest ( ), who recites from priestly esoteric texts such as ''The Coronation of the Great Shishlam'' (),Drower, E. S. 1962.
The Coronation of the Great Šišlam: Being a Description of the Rite of the Coronation of a Mandaean Priest according to the ancient Canon
'. Leiden: Brill. the ''Scroll of Exalted Kingship'' (), '' The Great Supreme World'' (),Drower, E. S. 1963.
A Pair of Naṣoraean Commentaries: Two Priestly Documents, the Great First World and the Lesser First World
'. Leiden: Brill. and the ''Qolasta''. Ritual helpers (''šganda'' or ), who represent emissaries from the World of Light, also help perform the rituals, many of which are held in a specially constructed priest initiation hut (''škinta'') and also a nearby temporary reed hut (''andiruna'').

Stages

*For the first 7 of the 68 days, both the novice and the initiator stay in the ''škinta'' without sleeping. This period is concluded by the novice baptizing the initiator.
*Next, the novice goes through 60 days of seclusion, maintains his ritual purity, and cooks his own food. Only the ''šganda'', who visits everyday to exchange ''kušṭa'', is allowed to come in contact with the novice during these 60 days of seclusion. 180 ''rahmas'' (devotional prayers) are recited during these 60 days, with 60 prayers each meant for the soul, spirit, and body (hence 3 sets of 60) as the ''Coronation'' text explains.
*After the 60 days of seclusion are over, additional rituals are performed with priests, including a ''zidqa brikha'' (blessed oblation; myz, ࡆࡉࡃࡒࡀ ࡁࡓࡉࡊࡀ) ritual meal.
*Finally, the novice baptizes his initiator again, and the 68-day ordination ceremony is complete.

Prayer sequence

Below is the sequence of Qolasta prayer numbers for the tarmida initiation according to both the ''Coronation'' and '' Exalted Kingship''. ''Exalted Kingship'' contains more detailed descriptions of the rituals, while the ''Coronation'' is shorter. During the prayers, ''pihta'' (sacramental bread) and ''mambuha'' (sacramental water) are also consumed. Ritual handclasps (''kušṭa'') are often exchanged between the novice and the initiator, and sometimes also with the ritual assistant (''šganda''). Various names of the deceased (''zhara'' ) are also uttered along with the prayers.

Initiation begins

Preparation for baptizing novice

Baptism of novice begins

The ''Coronation'' contains 3 sets of prayers during the final part of the ritual that are not listed in ''Exalted Kingship''.

Novice crowned

Wine ceremony

Cult hut (''škinta'') period begins

Prayers 34 and 119–122 are included in the ''Coronation'', but not ''Exalted Kingship''.

Gallery

The gallery below contains images of a tarmida initiation held in Baghdad in 2008.Yuhana Nashmi,
Initiation of a Priest (Slideshow)
" ''The Worlds of Mandaean Priests''. Accessed February 23, 2022.

File:Mandaean priest initiation 04.png, Seven priests begin the initiation by baptizing each other, and then the initiate.
File:Mandaean priest initiation 06.png, A ram is sacrificed for the initiation ceremony.
File:Mandaean priest initiation 07.png, A ''shkinta'' being built
File:Mandaean priest initiation 08.png, The completed ''shkinta''
File:Mandaean priest initiation 11.png, An initiate in the ''andiruna''
File:Mandaean priest initiation 12.png, An initiate receiving a sacred gold ring called ''Shom Yawar Ziwa''
File:Mandaean priest initiation 14.png, Priests praying the ''Baii Rahmi'' (the Great Prayer)
File:Mandaean priest initiation 15.png, Priests reading the ''Baii Rahmi'' (the Great Prayer)
File:Mandaean priest initiation 16.png, An initiate performing rishama (ablution) in order to start the lengthy prayer ''Baii Rahmi'' (Great Prayer), with the drabsha assembled in the background
File:Mandaean priest initiation 18.png, An initiate baptizing his initiator
File:Mandaean priest initiation 20.png, Celebrating the newly ordained tarmidia in Baghdad in 2008
File:Mandaean priest initiation 21.png, Newly ordained tarmidia in Baghdad in 2008

References

External links

The Worlds of Mandaean PriestsInitiation of a Priest (Slideshow)

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