(14 Mar 2025)
IRAQ SABIAN MANDAEAN FESTIVAL
SOURCE: ASSOCIATED PRESS
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:
LENGTH: 2:55
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Baghdad, Iraq – 14 March 2025
1. Various of member of the Sabian Mandaean community in the Tigris River during a baptism ritual held to observe the festival marking the creation of the world
2. Various of members of the community gathered at riverbank
3. Various of member of the Sabian Mandaean community in river
4. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Sheikh Satar Jabar, head of the Sabian Mandaean community:
"Our religion is white and pure, and it has been bringing forward peace since its creation. It carries the myrtle and olive branches as well as the dove of peace. Therefore, and in these blessed days, we call for peace to prevail across our beloved country, Iraq. And we call for everyone to live safely, in peace and love.”
5. Various of religious rituals performed to mark the festival
6. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Sheikh Satar Jabar, head of Sabian Mandaean community:
"Everyone is willing to come back (to the country). There are those who were forced to go abroad, or they had to do it. But returning requires some matters, so that a person can come back and be able to start a life in terms of work, housing and everything. Many of the youths now don’t have a job."
7. Women participating in the festival
8. Various of woman holding leaves
9. Women participating in the festival
10. Various of man reading text from book
11. Various of women and girls getting flowers
12. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Delal Ghanim, festival participant:
"Look how beautiful this gathering is, we are with our people and relatives. We are relieved and without fears. There is safety and security, thank God. I mean it is very nice and we are happy with it."
13. Children playing in park
14. Child and woman posing for photo
15. Community members gathered in park for the festival
STORYLINE:
Members of the Sabian Mandaean religious community in Iraq celebrated on Friday Eid al-Khalqeh, a festival marking the creation of the world.
They gathered on the banks of Tigris River in Baghdad to perform baptism rituals – a practice that plays an important role in the lives of this ancient sect.
The Sabian Mandaeans, a small pre-Christian sect, believe that John the Baptist, and not Jesus Christ, was the true Messiah.
During the spring celebration, the community believes that each individual should be baptized in the ancient river as many times as possible.
Many members of Iraq’s ethnic and religious minorities, including the Sabian Mandaeans, have fled in fear after the 2003 U.S.-led invasion that toppled dictator Saddam Hussein.
"Everyone is willing to come back (to the country). There are those who were forced to go abroad, or they had to do it," said Sheikh Satar Jabar, the head of Sabian Mandaean community in Baghdad.
However, there are hurdles preventing people from coming back such as securing work and housing before making the move, he added.
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.
AP video shot by Ali Jabar
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