Feast of the Great Shishlam
Dehwa d-Shishlam Rabba
Also calledLittle New Year
Nauruz Zūṭa
Observed byMandaeans
TypeReligious, ethnic

The Feast of the Great Shishlam or Dehwa d-Šišlam Rabba (Classical Mandaic: ࡃࡉࡄࡁࡀ ࡖࡔࡉࡔࡋࡀࡌ ࡓࡁࡀ, romanized: Dihba ḏ-Šišlam Rba) or Nauruz Zūṭa (Classical Mandaic: ࡍࡀࡅࡓࡅࡆ ࡆࡅࡈࡀ, 'Little New Year') is a Mandaean religious holiday that takes place on the 6th and 7th days of Daula, the first month of the Mandaean calendar. It is named after Shishlam, the Mandaean personification of the prototypical priest.[1]

The Night of Power takes place on the night of the 6th day (similar to Qadr Night), during which the heavenly gates of Abatur are open to the faithful. Priests visit Mandaean households and give them myrtle wreaths to hang on their houses for the rest of the year to protect against evil. The households also donate alms (zidqa) to the priests.[2] Similarly, house blessings and door chalking also often take place on Epiphany, a Christian holiday typically celebrated on January 6.

Prayers

In E. S. Drower's version of the Qolasta, prayer 177 is recited for the "Little New Year's Feast" or Dehwa d-Shishlam Rabba.[3]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Aldihisi, Sabah (2008). The story of creation in the Mandaean holy book in the Ginza Rba (PhD). University College London.
  2. ↑ Gelbert, Carlos (2005). The Mandaeans and the Jews. Edensor Park, NSW: Living Water Books. ISBN 0-9580346-2-1. OCLC 68208613.
  3. ↑ Drower, E. S. (1959). The Canonical Prayerbook of the Mandaeans. Leiden: E. J. Brill.
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