Mobad

A Mobed, Mowbed, or Mobad (Middle Persian: 𐭬𐭢𐭥𐭯𐭲) is a Zoroastrian cleric of a particular rank. Unlike an herbad (ervad), a mobed is qualified to serve as celebrant priest at the Yasna ceremony and other higher liturgical ceremonies. A mobed is also qualified to train other priests. In general (lay) use, the term is also used as an honorific to denote any Zoroastrian priest, of any rank. For instance, Hormizd I appointed Kartir moabadan-moabad, which is frequently translated as "priest of priests", but more precisely indicates "high priest of high priests". The term "mobed" is a contraction of Middle Persian magu-pati, the first half of the expression apparently deriving from Avestan 𐬨𐬀𐬔𐬀 maga- or magu-, and with Avestan 𐬞𐬀𐬌𐬙𐬌 -paiti meaning "guardian" or "protector" (Persian root of پاییدن pâyidan) as in azarpäd. Through Old Persian 𐎶𐎦𐏁 magush and Ancient Greek μάγος magos, Old Iranian magu- is also identified as the origin of the Latin word magus, a "magian". Through the Greek adjective μαγικός magikos and Old French magique, 'mobed' is distantly related to the English language word "magic". The word was borrowed into Georgian as Mogvi (მოგვი). Zoroastrian priests in the Parsi community in India are required to be male from a priestly family (the "Athornan" class or caste). According to Parsi tradition, the Athornan Mobeds have held the responsibility of preserving and promoting religion since pre-Zoroastrian times of the mythical King Jamshid in Persia. "[I]n the early to mid 1900s, for various reasons, the young of the then Mobeds were encouraged by their elders to be initiated as Mobeds but to pursue other careers and professions. Though this resulted in a shortage of Mobeds [in India], it generated an unexpected benefit to Zoroastrianism. Highly educated and enterprising young Mobeds settled in North America following their secular studies and founded the Mobed base for the benefit of North American Zoroastrians.