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Mandaean Liturgies

The Mandaean Liturgies are a collection of prayers and hymns for the rituals of baptism (masbuta) and the masiqta (ascent of the soul), compiled by Mark Lidzbarski.|||Mandaic manuscripts, including the Drower Collection and Bodleian Library manuscripts.|||Compiled from various periods, with some prayers dating to the 3rd century CE or earlier.|||Canonical in Mandaeism. Not recognized by any other religious tradition.|||The primary source for Mandaean liturgical practice. Contains 103 prayers for baptism, the masiqta, and other rituals. Essential for understanding Mandaean worship.|||Lidzbarski, M. Mandäische Liturgien. Weidmann, 1920.|||Drower, E. S. The Canonical Prayerbook of the Mandaeans. Brill, 1959.|||Mandaean Liturgies — Internet Archive|https://archive.org/details/mandaeanhymnsandpsalms|Drower's translation and commentary.

Collection: Mandaean & Manichaean Canon: varies

Canon Status

Canonical in Mandaeism. Not recognized by any other religious tradition.

Date & Provenance

Compiled from various periods, with some prayers dating to the 3rd century CE or earlier.

Language & Manuscripts

Mandaic manuscripts, including the Drower Collection and Bodleian Library manuscripts.

Why It Matters for Study

The primary source for Mandaean liturgical practice. Contains 103 prayers for baptism, the masiqta, and other rituals. Essential for understanding Mandaean worship.

" We baptize in the name of the Life, and in the name of the great King of Light." — Mandaean Liturgies (paraphrase)

Read the Text & External Resources

Public-domain translations and scholarly databases where the text can be read online or downloaded.

  • " We baptize in the name of the Life, and in the name of the great King of Light." — Mandaean Liturgies (paraphrase) " We baptize in the name of the Life, and in the name of the great King of Light." — Mandaean Liturgies (paraphrase)

External links open in a new tab. Sources are chosen for public-domain or open-access availability; always verify edition and translation when citing in academic work.

Further Reading

Lidzbarski, M. Mandäische Liturgien. Weidmann, 1920.
Drower, E. S. The Canonical Prayerbook of the Mandaeans. Brill, 1959.
Mandaean Liturgies — Internet Archive|https://archive.org/details/mandaeanhymnsandpsalms|Drower's translation and commentary.