Middle East Information Resource
Religions/Belief Systems - Mithraism
A religion originating in Persia based upon the worship of Mithra, the god of light and truth. It was an important rival of early Christianity. It is generally considered a precursor to Zoroastrianism in Persia. Mithraism was a secretive faith and the rites were known only to insiders. Mithraism spread with the Roman army, where it was rather popular, and also disappeared where the Romans later retreated.
Mithraism resembled Zoroastrianism in that it focused very much on the continuing struggle between good and evil as symmetric forces. Mithraism also shares much with Christianity, such as miraculous birth, death and resurrection, heaven and hell, immortality of the soul, and a day of judgement. Both Mithraism and Christianity considered Sunday the holy day, and they both celebrated December 25 as the day of birth of the founder and both celebrated Easter. Numerous details of the celebration were also the same, including the use of the bell, candles, and holy water.
Mithraism reached its high point in about 275 but declined afterwards. Mithraism lacked any real philosophical underpinnings and no organizational structure either. These factors along with its exclusion of women left it without much broad appeal, although traces of the religion can still be found today Iraq.