Mandaean

Many of the refugees are Armenian Christians; others resettled under the program include Jews, Zoroastrians, Bahais and Mandaeans.

The wars that drove many Mandaeans out of the country also aggravated a water crisis set in motion by deposed dictator Saddam Hussein’s ecological policies.

Mandaeans, who are followers of John the Baptist, face discrimination in many ways, she said — including having people throw rocks at them during baptisms.

The largest community of Mandaeans, 650-strong, may now be in Massachusetts.

That much became clear when Barzalona rode Mandaean in the Dante Stakes at York last week, apparently on the expressed wish of Sheikh Mohammed.