To help young priests "serve the religious and spiritual needs of their communities,” the North American Mobeds Council — Institute of Zoroastrian Studies (NAMC-IZS) conducted its Young Mobeds Training course on July 12 and 13, 2025. Of the seven who attended the course at the Arbab Rustam Guiv Dar-e-Mehr of the Zoroastrian Association of Greater New York (ZAGNY), six were mobeds from Toronto, New York, Washington DC and Florida, noted a report by NAMC president Ervad Tehemton Mirza. "IZS, as the educational arm of NAMC, is dedicated to training mobeds and educating the general public about Zoroastrianism through its online courses,” stated Mirza.
Above: Ervads Tehemton Mirza (front row, 2nd from l) and Behram Panthaki (suited) with young priests;
top: at the Dar-e-Mehr in New York
As part of the course, Mirza and Ervad Behram Panthaki instructed the trainees, aged under 30 years, on the meaning of basic prayers while Keki Dadachanji gave an overview of the Gathas and highlighted some of the key Gatha verses. The role of mobeds in ancient Iran during the Zoroastrian dynasties and their efforts in preserving Zoroastrianism after the fall of the Sasanian empire was explained as also the challenges faced by mobeds in North America. The youngsters spoke of their plans to render ecclesiastic services to their communities in North America.
The young mobeds also got lessons on the performance of outer liturgical ceremonies as also the significance of jashan, satum and afringan, obsequial prayers and rituals. "This was the fourth such course in the last few years, and to date NAMC-IZS has trained more than 30 young mobeds,” wrote Mirza.
Besides forming new friendships, the participants were able to bond over a game of basketball, and socialize with the local community when treated to dinner by ZAGNY. The organizers were grateful to the management of the Arbab Rustam Guiv Dar-e-Mehr, as also ZAGNY and its president Khursheed Navder who hosted the out-of-town priests.
Currently two candidates (one from Washington DC, and one from Washington State) are under training for the Athravan program launched by NAMC. Instead of coming to India for their navar ceremony, those interested in a priestly calling are being trained and initiated in North America. "Several Zoroastrians from North America have expressed interest and applied to be trained and initiated as Athravans,” confirmed Mirza.