By D. Jason Cooper
Often called Mitra to the Indians, Mithra and Zarathustra (Zoroaster in Greek) to the Iranians, and Mithras to the Romans, this can be the oldest of all dwelling deities. Mithras was once famous because the maximum rival of Christianity, a better risk even than the faith of Isis. If Rome had now not turn into Christian, it is going to became Mithrasian. Mithraisians had a sacrament that incorporated wine as a logo of sacrificial blood. Bread in wafers, or small loaves marked with a pass, was once used to represent flesh. The priestly symbols have been a employees, a hoop, a hat, and a hooked sword; contributors have been known as brothers, and monks have been referred to as "Father." Mithras used to be born on December twenty fifth. He provided salvation in line with religion, compassion, wisdom, and valor. He appealed to the negative, the slave and the freeman, in addition to to the Roman aristocracy, the armed forces, or even to a couple emperors. The Christians sacked his temples, burned his books, and attacked his fans; they desecrated his temples, and equipped their very own church buildings at the similar foundations because the outdated Mithraic temples. Cooper examines Mithras and his faith within the such a lot whole examine ever performed. He explores a few of the varieties of this god--worshiped from Lisbon to modrn Bangladesh, from the Scottish border to the Russian Steppes--and investigates the worship. this is often an exhilarating trip into residing mythology, the background of a residing god, and may fascinate glossy Western readers who need to know extra in regards to the non secular path--whether they wish to higher comprehend modern Christianity, the foundation of many modern ideaologies, mythology, or the Western secret culture.
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Example text
The western one let in light to fill the antechamber. The eastern one was apparently positioned to allow a ray of light to rest on the altar at noon on the solstice. The symbolic importance of this is reinforced by a series of holes across the arch of the ceiling in the eastern part of the Mithraeum. It would seem wooden beams were placed in these holes. which, if the beams maintained a constant width over their whole length, would have met in the center of the Mithraeum in the image of a rayed sun.
So it is likely what the followers might do is what the leaders were required to do. Mlthras: Mysteries and Initiations Rediscovered - 25 The coming of the Pater tells us more about his community. A stipend of any sort indicates a temple had to have finances. Gifts. fees. tithes. or some such must have paid for the various building efforts. the decorations. the support of the Pater: and the other fiscal aspects of the religion. About such finances we know next to nothing. Certainly gifts and votive offerings formed a signifi· cant element of the funding of the religion.
Among these were the religions of Isis and Cybele. It may be that, as the men worshipped Mithras, their wives and children worshipped in the temples of these goddesses. Mithras had slaves among his followers, and included not only Romans but members of what we would call ethnic minorities. In the light of the times the religion was remarkably tolerant. Most groups of the time excluded slaves. In this Mithrasism was as notable an exception to the common practice of religions as Christianity. Moreover: Mithras included Romans of ancient family stock as well as recent arrivals.