ganzibra
{{Short description|Senior priest in Mandaeism}}
{{Mandaeism}}
A ganzibra (singular form in {{langx|myz|ࡂࡀࡍࡆࡉࡁࡓࡀ}}, plural form in {{langx|myz|ࡂࡀࡍࡆࡉࡁࡓࡉࡀ}} {{transl|myz|ganzibria}}, literally 'treasurer' in Mandaic; {{langx|fa|گنزورا}}) is a high priest in Mandaeism. Tarmidas, or junior priests, rank below the ganzibras.Drower, E. S. 1960. The Secret Adam: A Study of Nasoraean Gnosis. Oxford: Clarendon Press.
Symbolically, ganzibras are considered to be uthras on earth (Tibil). Their responsibilities include performing masbuta, masiqta, wedding ceremonies, and other rituals, all of which can only be performed by priests. They must prepare their own food to maintain ritual purity.{{cite book|last=Buckley|first=Jorunn Jacobsen|title=The Mandaeans: ancient texts and modern people|publisher=Oxford University Press|publication-place=New York|year=2002|isbn=0-19-515385-5|oclc=65198443}} Ganzibra priests are also prohibited from consuming stimulants such as wine, tobacco, and coffee.
Ordination
The ganzibras go through an elaborate set of initiation rituals that are separate from those performed for the tarmidas. According Drower (1937), a ganzibra can only be initiated immediately before the death of a pious member of the Mandaean community. Two ganzibras and two shgandas are required to perform the initiation.Drower, E. S. 1937. The Mandaeans of Iraq and Iran. Leiden: Brill (1962 reprint).
The bukra is the first masiqta performed by a ganzibra priest just after ordination.{{cite thesis|url=https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/1444088/|last=Aldihisi|first=Sabah|year=2008|title=The story of creation in the Mandaean holy book in the Ginza Rba|type=PhD|publisher=University College London}}
The ʿngirta ({{lit|message}}; also refers to Qulasta prayers 73–74) is a ceremony used to inform the World of Light about the ordination of a ganzibra.{{cite book | last=Häberl | first=Charles | url=https://www.liverpooluniversitypress.co.uk/doi/book/10.3828/9781800856271 | title=The Book of Kings and the Explanations of This World: A Universal History from the Late Sasanian Empire | location=Liverpool | publisher=Liverpool University Press | date=2022 | isbn=978-1-80085-627-1 | page=214}}
In Mandaean texts
In Right Ginza 15.7, 15.8, 16.1, and 17.1, the uthra Yura is mentioned as Yura Rba Ganzibra, or "Great Yura the Ganzibra."{{cite book |url=https://livingwaterbooks.com.au/product/ginza-rba/ |last1=Gelbert |first1=Carlos |title=Ginza Rba |year=2011 |publisher=Living Water Books |location=Sydney |isbn=9780958034630}}
Notable ''ganzibria''
Notable ganzibria include:
- Brikha Nasoraia (Australia)
- Khaldoon Majid Abdullah (Australia)
- Salwan Alkhamas (Sweden)
- Najah Choheili (Iran)
- Taleb Doraji (Iran)
- Negm bar Zahroon (1892–1976, lived in both Iraq and Iran)
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [http://mandaeanpriests.exeter.ac.uk/items/browse?collection=1&sort_field=Dublin+Core%2CTitle The Worlds of Mandaean Priests]
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