ASUTA
The Journal for the Study and Research into the
Mandaean Culture, Religion, and Language.

        Volume 8                                  Special Issue                                           Online edition

Miriai
The Religion Personified

       RESEARCH DONE BY AJAE                                                         COPYRIGHT 2000

Introduction

Please note: To read the complete story of Miriai please go to Sidra d Yahia.

The story of Miriai is a fascinating and compelling story full of symbolic and poetic overtones.  The writing is absolutely breathtaking, full of compassion and feeling.  As the story unfolds the reader can feel the “anger” of the mother and the condemnation of the father to Miriai and of the dedication that Miriai shows to her new found religion.

The author incorporates the idea of a “love” into story line assuming that the reader would be capable of understanding the meaning of the symbolism. Unfortunately this “love” idea has lead many a researcher and reader into the idea that Miriai ran off to marry a Mandaean.  In reality the author was driving home a point that Miriai’s love is a more spiritual love of the Mandaeans and not the physical love the Jews accuse her of. 
Mirari is not as simple as she appears. In all actually Miriai probably was never a real human being.  She is the personification of the Mandaean religion.  She is represented on earth as a female Mandaean priest and as an uthra is indicative of the equality that the Mandaean women have within the Mandaean theology.  This is quite radical back then considering that only today are women finding roles as rabbis or preachers.  In the story she goes from convert, to priest, and even to an ‘uthra.  She also takes on another role, that of the Mandaean religion itself.  Mirari becomes almost a code word for the Mandaean religion and in some ways the Mandaean community. She is the ultimate convert who holds fast to the true religion despite the desperate pleading of her mother and the condemnation by her father.  She is portrayed as the ultimate Mandaean priest whose voice draws those of other religions to her.  She is elevated to the position of an uthra, the Treasure of Life.  Miriai is quite a unique figure that is pure Mandaean throughout. She is not a rewritten Mary or Mary Magdalene figure and nor does she represent a Christian influence. But the story of the Mandaean religion and persecution is maintained and retold in this spiritually fulfilling reminder.  In much the same way as Uncle Sam is representative of the United States or Mother Earth represents nature, Miriai is representative of the Mandaean people, culture, and religion for all three are intertwined into one cohesive unit.

The purpose of this paper is to determine just who or what Miriai is and to determine why Miriai is included in the Mandaean literature.  Let us start at the beginning where the saga of Miriai appears mainly in the Sidra d Yahia (the Mandaean Book of John).

Introduction

Miriai from the Book of John
Miriai leaves Judaism
Miriai becomes a “Vine”
Miriai becomes a Mandaean Priest

The Prayers
#149
#162

A little Miriai here and there

Mary in Mandaean Literature

Conclusion

References