Members of the last surviving gnostic sect prepare for the 'Little Feast' in Texas
Mandaean priest Bassam Fadhel Saqer, right, performs a masbuta, or baptism, the most central ritual in the Mandaean tradition, in the San Marcos River, Oct. 19, 2025, in San Marcos, Texas. (Photo by Ethan Housewright)
(RNS) — Mandaeans, who believe they are descendants of the disciples of John the Baptist, have scattered around the globe, fleeing war and persecution in the Middle East.
