Sabian Mandaeans mark creation festival in Iraq

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(15 Mar 2022) LEAD IN: • Members of the Sabian Mandaean community in Iraq are celebrating Eid al-Khalqeh, a festival marking the Creation of the World. • They gather on the banks of Baghdad's Tigris to perform baptism rituals - a practice that plays an important role in the lives of this ancient sect. • • STORY-LINE: • The Sabian Mandaeans, a small pre-Christian sect, are celebrating Eid al-Khalqeh, or the festival marking the Creation of the World. • This community believes that John the Baptist, and not Jesus Christ, was the true Messiah. • As they celebrate this feast, they gather in Baghdad's Tiger River to submerge themselves in the ancient river. • Water is everything to the Sabian Mandaeans, who are baptized in it, get married in it and receive their last rites by the river's edge. • During the festival, the community believes that each individual should be baptized as many times as possible. • This spring celebration comes at a difficult time for the community as their number is shrinking day after day due to the political and economic situations in Iraq. • Many Iraqi people from all sectors of society were forced to leave Iraq in fear of their lives, says Sheikh Sattar al-Helu, the head of Sabian Mandaean community in Iraq. • As they celebrate the festival this year, members of the the faith are praying for peace and security for all Iraqis. • There are only few thousands of Mandaeans left in Iraq, mostly in Baghdad and in the southern cities. • In Iraq most of the followers work as gold- and silversmiths, and many are fine craftsman. • The religion combines some aspects of Christianity, Judaism, Islam and Gnosticism, but it is considered separate from each of them and generally does not accept converts. • • Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork • Twitter: / ap_archive • Facebook: / aparchives • Instagram: / apnews • • • You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...

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