Author(s): Hasanain Abdulrazzaq Hasan Alhadi
Purity for the residents of Hatra was considered as one of the essential articles to occur before initiating any practice of religious rite, doctrinal ceremony or social tradition, so we find out that they were very eager to mandate materialistic & spiritual means of Purity such as water, incense, oil and fire, as well as reading prayers and religious exorcisms for achieving Purity which releases them from impurities and sins, and gets them close to the gods. Washing by using water, burning incense and putting off slippers were crucial purity habits the residents of Hatraclung to, especially before saying prayers, pilgrimage, visiting the gods and seclusion with them in temples and houses. Besides, Purity had an important role in social occasions and feasts, as monks and worshippers were eager to wash, burning incense and fires in national and religious feasts. They committed themselves to purify the temple and new house by spraying them with holy water and reading religious exorcisms to release them from evil spirits, and some social traditions like marriage occasions forced the groom and bride to be washed and sprayed by holy water and oil, to have blessing and providence.