Mobed: Finding and Working with a Zoroastrian Funeral Priest

The mobed (Zoroastrian priest) is the liturgical anchor of a full Zoroastrian funeral. The Geh Sarna is traditionally performed by ordained priests; when no mobed is available, the family may need to perform lay portions while following local guidance. Finding a qualified mobed — especially in the diaspora — is often the single biggest logistical challenge families face after a death.

What a Mobed Does at a Funeral

The mobed's role spans the entire funeral sequence:

Before the ceremony:

• Advises the family on the correct timing for the Geh Sarna (must occur during daylight hours)
• Confirms the liturgical requirements — which prayers, which Gah (time division) the service falls within, and the specific roz of death for memorial calendar purposes
• Performs padyab-kusti (personal ritual purification) before entering the prayer space

During the Geh Sarna:

• Two mobeds chant the Ahunavaiti Gatha (Yasna chapters 28-34) while standing at least three paces from the body
• They maintain a paiwand (physical cloth connection) between them throughout
• At the critical juncture — the recitation of "yehya vereda vanaema drujim" — they turn away while the body is transferred from the marble slabs to the iron bier
• They resume facing the body and complete the liturgy

After the funeral:

• Perform the third-day Uthamna prayers
• Officiate the fourth-day Chaharum (Chinvad Bridge crossing) ceremony
• Continue with the Dasma (10th day), monthly roj observances, and annual Varsi prayers — either the same mobed or a replacement arranged by the family

Finding a Mobed in the Diaspora

The global Zoroastrian population is small — estimated at 100,000-200,000 worldwide — and ordained priests are scarce outside India and Iran. In many Western cities, there may be only one or two qualified mobeds within driving distance.

Where to look:

• Your local Zoroastrian association is the first call. Every established community maintains a list of available mobeds and their contact information.
• FEZANA (North America) maintains a priest directory covering the US and Canada.
• ZTFE (UK/Europe) can connect you with UK-based mobeds.
• The Zoroastrian Association of your city — it may be able to connect you with a mobed or trained lay liturgist; availability and accepted adaptations vary.

If no mobed is available locally, options include:

1. A mobed from another city travels to you. This is common and expected. The family covers travel expenses and an honorarium. Book immediately upon learning that a death is imminent — delays can conflict with traditional preferences for rapid disposition and with local legal or facility requirements.
2. A lay liturgist (ervad or mobed-trained community member) performs an adapted ceremony. Some diaspora communities use trained lay people for adapted prayers or ceremonies. Ask the local mobed or association what is accepted, and follow applicable legal and health requirements.
3. Remote or delayed coordination. If no priest can physically attend, ask the local association and mobed whether remote or delayed prayers are accepted in that community; do not assume they replace the full in-person Geh Sarna.

What to Discuss with the Mobed Before the Funeral

When you reach the mobed, cover these points early:

• Disposition method: Is the family choosing cremation, burial, or (in India) dokhmenashini? Some orthodox mobeds will not officiate at a cremation-path funeral. Confirm the mobed's willingness before assuming.
• Venue: Will the ceremony take place at a fire temple, community hall, funeral home, or the family residence? The mobed needs to know the physical space to prepare.
• Family composition: Are there non-Zoroastrian family members? Will they attend the ceremony? The mobed may have specific access guidelines.
• Timeline: The Geh Sarna must be performed during daylight. If the body arrives at the funeral home in the late afternoon, the ceremony may need to be scheduled for the following morning.
• Subsequent ceremonies: Confirm the mobed's availability for the Uthamna (day 3), Chaharum (day 4), and Dasma (day 10). If the same mobed cannot attend all, arrange replacements now.

Priest Fees and Honoraria

There is no standardized fee schedule for Zoroastrian funeral services. In India, the BPP and fire temples have established structures, but in the diaspora, arrangements are negotiated directly with the mobed.

Common practices:

• An honorarium (typically ranging from a few hundred to over a thousand dollars in North America, depending on travel and the number of ceremonies)
• Travel and accommodation expenses if the mobed comes from another city
• A shiav (set of new clothes) presented to the mobed at the Chaharum ceremony, or a monetary equivalent
• Some families make an additional donation to the mobed's fire temple

Do not be embarrassed to ask about fees directly. Mobeds in the diaspora understand that families are navigating unfamiliar territory, and most will state their expectations clearly if asked.

When No Priest Is Available at All

In rare cases — remote locations, sudden deaths while traveling, or simply no mobed reachable in time — the family can perform the lay portions of the funeral themselves:

• Recite the Ashem Vohu and Yatha Ahu Vairyo prayers at the bedside and throughout the preparation
• Perform the Sachkar (ritual washing and dressing) as a family
• Tie the kusti on the deceased with the appropriate prayers
• Maintain the divo (oil lamp) continuously for the first three days
• Ask a mobed how to handle any later ceremonies if one becomes available

Lay prayers can remain meaningful to the family, but the Geh Sarna is traditionally performed by ordained priests; ask a local mobed how to handle a delay or adaptation.

The Zoroastrian Funeral Guide includes a mobed consultation script with the specific questions to ask, along with prayer transliterations that allow lay family members to recite the essential prayers correctly when a priest is delayed.