Brikha Nasoraia

Ganzibra Brikha H. S. Nasoraia (full name: Brikha Hathem Saed Naṣoraia; born 1964 in Iraq ) is an Iraqi-Australian Mandaean priest and scholar based in Sydney, Australia. He is affiliated with the University of Sydney and Mardin Artuklu University. He is currently a Professor of Comparative Semitics, Literature and Art History.

Early life and education
Brikha Nasoraia was born in Iraq to Mahdi Saed (father) and Layla (mother). His baptismal name is Sam bar Sam Yuhana. He belongs to the Kuhailia (Choheili) family and can thus trace his ancestry back to Adam Zakia, the father of Bihram Bar-Hiia, who lived around 1500 A.D.

He was initiated into the Mandaean priesthood by Sheikh Abdullah, son of Sheikh Negm, of Baghdad. He was ordained as a ganzibra (Mandaean high priest) and later emigrated to Sydney, Australia, where he initially served with Ganzibra Salah Choheili. In 2005, he obtained a Ph.D. degree from the University of Sydney, where he wrote his doctoral dissertation on the translation and analysis of the Dmut Kušṭa scroll. After graduating from the University of Sydney, he later took the name Brikha Naṣoraia, which means "Blessed Naṣoraean" in Mandaic.

Career
As a ganzibra (head priest), he is currently the President of the Mandaean Spiritual Council (or the Mandaean Nasoraean Supreme Council ) of Australia and is also the President of the International Mandaean Nasoraean Supreme Council (or Nasoraean Mandaean Association ).

Nasoraia lectures at the University of Sydney, and also at Mardin Artuklu University in Mardin, Turkey.

Brikha Nasoraia's research interests include archaeology (particularly Mandaic lead rolls and incantation bowls), philosophy of religion, and translation of Mandaic manuscripts. In 1998, together with Majid Fandi al-Mubaraki and his son Brian Mubaraki, he published a full printed version of the Ginza Rabba in typesetted Mandaic. He has participated in excavations at archaeological sites such as Harran.

He is fluent in English, Arabic, and Aramaic. Nasoraia is also an artist who produces oil paintings featuring Mandaean religious themes.

Personal life
He is married to Nadia al-Faris, with whom he has three children.

Selected publications
Below is a partial list of publications by Brikha Nasoraia.

Note that in earlier works, he is cited as Hathem Saed Naṣoraia. Brikha (which means "blessed" in Mandaic) is a title that was later added to his name as cited in academic literature, Hathem is his given name, Mahdi is his father's name, and Saed is his grandfather's name. Naṣoraia is used to denote that he is a Nasoraean, i.e. a Mandaean priest. (See also Mandaean name.) As a result, he is also known as Sheikh (Rbai) Haithem Mahdi Saeed (شيخ هيثم مهدي سعيد).

Books

 * Mubaraki, Majid Fandi; Rbai Haithem Mahdi Saeed; Brian Mubaraki (eds). 1998. Ginza Rba. Sydney, N.S.W., Australia. ISBN 0-646-35222-9.
 * Nasoraia, Brikha (2022). Masbuta: The Mandaean Baptism (forthcoming). Belgium: Brepols Publishers.
 * (e-book: ISBN 978-0-367-33545-8 )
 * (e-book: ISBN 978-0-367-33545-8 )

Journal articles

 * Nasoraia, B., Crangle, E. (2010). The Asuta wish: Adam Kasia and the Dynamics of Healing in Mandaean Contemplative Praxis. ARAM Periodical, 22, 349-390.
 * Crangle, E., Nasoraia, B. (2010). Soul Food: The Mandaean Laufani. ARAM Periodical, 22, 97-132.
 * Nasoraia, B., Trompf, G. (2011). Mandaean Macrohistory. ARAM Periodical, 22(2010), 391-425.
 * Trompf, G., Nasoraia, B. (2011). Reflecting on the 'Rivers Scroll'. ARAM Periodical, 22(2010), 61-86.