Mithras: Mysteries and Initiation Rediscovered - Softcover

Cooper, D Jason

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0877288658 ISBN 13: 9780877288657

Publisher: Red Wheel/Weiser, 1996

Synopsis

Known as Mitra to the Indians, Mithra and Zarathustra (Zoroaster in Greek) to the Iranians, and Mithras to the Romans, this is the oldest of all living deities. Mithras was recognized as the greatest rival of Christianity, a greater threat even than the religion of Isis. If Rome had not become Christian, it would have become Mithrasian. Mithraisians had a sacrament that included wine as a symbol of sacrificial blood. Bread in wafers, or small loaves marked with a cross, was used to symbolize flesh. The priestly symbols were a staff, a ring, a hat, and a hooked sword/ members were called brothers, and priests were called "Father." Mithras was born on December 25th. He offered salvation based on faith, compassion, knowledge, and valor. He appealed to the poor, the slave and the freeman, as well as to the Roman aristocracy, the militia, and even to some emperors. The Christians sacked his temples, burned his books, and attacked his followers--they desecrated his temples, and built their own churches on the same foundations as the old Mithraic temples. Cooper examines Mithras and his religion in the most complete study ever done. He explores the various forms of this godworshiped from Lisbon to modrn Bangladesh, from the Scottish border to the Russian Steppesand investigates the worship. This is an exciting journey into living mythology, the history of a living god, and will fascinate modern Western readers who want to know more about the spiritual pathwhether they want to better understand contemporary Christianity, the basis of many contemporary ideaologies, mythology, or the Western Mystery Tradition.

About this title

From the Author

Mithras and Art
One thing I didn't include in the book on Mithras was its cannon of art. If you look at the art of the different mystery cults of early Imperial Rome, it seems the more successful the cult the more it developed a new school of art. By that I mean the symbols and images used and the rules by which they are used seem to differ from classical Greco-Roman methods in proportion to the success of the cult involved. Christianity developed the school of greatest difference, Mithras second greatest, third was a tie between Isis or Dionysis, and so on. I'm not sure if the success brought the change in art or the art brought success. But given the secrecy of Mithras - few people during its time saw its temples on the inside - this latter suggestion seems less likely. Still, it's something art historians may wish to take up.

Edition details

• Publisher: Red Wheel/Weiser
• Publication date: 1996
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0877288658
• ISBN 13: 9780877288657
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 160