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MITHRAS
MITHRAS (Mithres, Mitra), a god, mentioned in Sanskrit and Old Persian
documents and thus probably older than the separation of the Iranian
stock from the Aryan invaders of the Indian sub-continent.
History:
His cult naturally spread with the Persian conquests, and in par-
ticular, he reached the Euphrates valley, where he was so long settled
that Greek and Roman writers speak of him as an Assyrian god. Another
branch of his cult, of some importance for later developments, was
established in Cilicia. Originally identified as a god of, or the
spirit of, Brotherhood and Contract, he tended to be identified in
later times, that is, around the 2nd or 3rd century BPE, with the Sun.
His cult took on the form of a mystery religion, with more or less
definite grades of initiation and ceremonies or purification, penance,
and so forth, appropriate to such a worship.
Mithraism was first transmitted to the Roman world during the 1st
century BPE by Cilicians captured by Pompey.
Towards the close of the 2nd century the cult had spread rapidly
through the army, the mercantile class, slaves and actual propagan-
dists, all of which classes were largely composed of Asiatics. For
some reason, the German frontiers afford most evidence of its popular-
ity among the Roman soldiers; this may be due to some parallels with
the cult of the warrior-mystic in the Germanic religions. Evidence of
the cult of Mithras has been found from the Indus to England and
Scotland, where Roman soldiers built "Hadrian's Wall." Rome itself
was a favored seat of the religion. From the end of the 2nd century
the emperors encouraged Mithraism, because of the support which it
afforded to the divine right of monarchs.
The beginning of the downfall of Mithraism dates from 275 CE, when
Dacia was lost to the empire. The aggression of Christianity also was
now more effective. The reign of Julian and the usurpation of Eugenius
renewed the hopes of its devotees, but the victory of Theodosius (394
CE) may be considered the end of its existence in Europe. It still
survived in certain cantons of the Alps in the fifth century, and has
clung to life with more tenacity in its Eastern home. Elements still
survive in the inclusion of Mitra in the Hindu pantheon.
Ritual:
The sources of present knowledge regarding Mithraism consist of the
Vedas, the Avesta, the Pahlevi writings, Greek and Latin writings and
inscriptions, and monuments. The last includes some hundreds of
sculptures, numerous chapels, which are grottoes underground, or
imitations in masonry. The average grotto held 50 - 100 persons. The
size of the sanctuaries, however, was compensated for by their number.
The typical relief, found in abundance throughout the Mithraic world,
invariably represents Mithras, under the form of a youth with a
conical cap and flying drapery, slaying the sacred bull, a scorpion
attacking the genitals of the animal, a serpent drinking its blood,
the dog springing towards the wound in its side, and frequently the
Sun-god, his messenger the raven, a fig tree, a lion, a ewer, and
torch-bearers. In recent years, the astrological symbolism that
permeates the cult has begun to be explored, though more research is
needed to fully understand all of its ramifications. Briefly, however,
we may mention the quartering of the Zodiac into four equal sections,
ruled by Taurus (the bull, associated with the element of Earth), Leo
(the lion, Fire), Scorpio (the Scorpion, Water) and Aquarius (the
Water-bearer, Air). More of this will be covered when the grades of
initiation are discussed, below. The relief or statuary of the Mystery
of Mithras appears in the same form every time: he kneels with his
left knee on the bull's back, grasps its nostrils with his left hand,
pulling its head back, and stabs it with the dagger in his right hand.
His right foot is extended backwards over the bull's right back leg.
Since means of mass production were not used the only explanation for
this uniformity must be that the details were mythologically or
symbolically significant. This relief or statuary is often surrounded
by a frame of figures and scenes in relief. These appear to fall into
two categories: the placing of Mithras in the Cosmological Chronology,
and the Life of Mithras.
In the first group appear the figures of Infinite Time, called in
Greek Kronos, and identified by theorists of that day with Chronos (in
Latin, Saturnus); Tellus and Atlas supporting the globe, representing
the union of Earth and Heaven; Oceanus; the Fates; Infinite Time
giving to his successor, shown sometimes as Mithras, sometimes as
Ormazd (the Zoroastrian Supreme Deity and embodiment of all Good), the
Thunderbolt, symbol of authority; Ormazd or Mithras struggling with
the giant of Evil.
In the second appear the Birth of Mithras as a youth (never as a
infant); then the god nude, taking fruit and leaves from a fig-tree in
which is the bust of Ormazd, and before which one of the winds is
blowing on Mithras; the god discharging an arrow against a rock from
which springs a fountain; the bull in a small boat, near which again
occurs the figure of the animal under a roof about to be set on fire
by two figures; the bull in flight with Mithras in pursuit; Mithras
bearing the bull on his shoulders; Helios (the Sun) and Mithras
clasping hands over an altar; Mithras with a drawn bow on a running
horse; Mithras and Helios banqueting; Mithras and Helios mounting the
chariot of the sun and riding over the ocean.
Scholars generally interpret these documents as follows. The head of
the divine hierarchy was Infinite Time (this may have been absorbed
either from, or by, the Zoroastrian "heresy" of Zurvanism); Heaven and
Earth were his offspring, and begat Ocean. From Heaven and Earth
sprang the remaining members of a circle analogous to the Olympic
Gods. Ahriman (the Zoroastrian Devil, or Supreme Embodiment of Evil)
was also the son of Time. Mithras was the most important member of
that circle, the mediator between man and the supreme god, which
atonement could only come about through his sacrifice of the bull.
The reconstructions of the Mithras legend generally agree that Mithras
was born of a rock, the marvel being seen only by certain shepherds,
who brought gifts and made worship offerings to him. Chilled by the
wind, the new-born god went to a fig-tree, partook of its fruit
against the wishes of the supreme deity, and clothed himself in its
leaves. He then undertook to vanquish the beings already in the world,
and rendered subject to him first the Sun, with whom he concluded a
treaty of friendship. Next he captured the sacred bull which had been
created by Ormazd. This, by order of the Sun, who sent his messenger
the Raven, he reluctantly sacrificed. From the dying animal sprung the
life of the earth, although Ahriman sent his emissaries to prevent it.
The soul of the bull rose to the celestial spheres and became the
guardian of the herds and flocks. Mithras was thus through his deed
the agent of creation of the life on earth. Meanwhile Ahriman sent a
terrible drought, which Mithras defeated by discharging an arrow
against a rock and miraculously drawing water from it. Next Ahriman
sent a deluge, from which one man escaped in a boat with his cattle.
Finally, a fire threatened to desolate the earth, an only those
creatures faithful to Ormazd escaped. Mithras, his work accomplished,
banqueted with the Sun for the last time, and was taken by him in his
chariot to the inhabitation of the immortals, whence he continues to
protect the faithful, and wait for the final battle between Good and
Evil, when the ultimate fate of Man will be decided. It is not dif-
ficult to discover the astrological references in these Tests, relat-
ing the drought to Earth (Taurus) and the fountain gushing from the
rock to the blood coming from his stabbing of the bull, the flood to
Water (Scorpio), and the fire to Fire (Leo). One can then presume that
the inference was that the final battle between Ormazd and Ahriman
would come out of the form of a test involving the element of Air,
perhaps in the so-called "Age of Aquarius."
Organization:
St. Jerome (Epist. 107, 2) and numerous inscriptions preserve the
knowledge that the mystic, or `sacratus', passed through seven de-
grees, corresponding to the seven planetary deities, this progress
reflected the ascent of the soul through the heavens to the celestial
sphere. The lowest grade, `Corax' or Raven, stood under the protection
of Mercury; the next, `Nymphos', has been translated as `Bride', but
is a masculine noun, thereby paradoxically meaning a male bride (a
term which appears in later mystery cults such as the Rosicrucians);
members of this grade were also known as `Cryphius', `Veiled'. The
grade was under the tutelage of Venus. The third grade was called
`Miles' or `Soldier', signifying the entrance of the adherent into the
active service of the god. Naturally, Mars was the guiding spirit of
this grade.
The next grade was known as `Leo', or `Lion', under Jupiter. The
fifth grade was known as `Perses', `Persian', perhaps used in much
the same way that Crusaders were sometimes known as `Soldiers of
Zion.' They were under the protection of the Moon. The next grade was
known as `Heliodromos', the `Runner of the Sun', protected of course
by the Sun. The highest grade, `Pater', was for the priests or
patriarchs of Mithras; the name means `Father.' They were guided by
Saturn.
Of the seven degrees, those not yet beyond the third, Miles, were not
in full communion, and were called `Servants of Mithras,' while the
fourth degree, Leo, admitted them into the class of the fully in-
itiated, the `Participants.' No women were admitted into the cult. A
sacred communion of bread, water and wine, and sometimes honey, were
administered to the mystic upon advancement into the higher degrees.
Each day of the week was marked by adoration of its planet, with their
equivalent of the Sabbath falling on the Sun's day.
In addition to being a spiritual fraternity of worshippers, the
Mithraic community was a legal entity that held property, with tem-
poral officials holding office. It was supported mainly by the dona-
tions of its membership.
Morality:
Like all mystery religions of the day, Mithraism attracted neophytes
by claiming to possess ancient and divine wisdom, and by holding out
hopes of a blessed immortality in ultimate union with a god. In
addition, a high moral standard was demanded: the "soldier" of Mith-
ras, like the "soldier" of Christ, was a warrior on the side of Good
against the forces of Evil. He not only had to observe the rituals, he
had also to be morally pure and upright. (Remember that Mithras, in
his original Indo-European form, was the god of Brotherhood and of
Social Contracts.) By doing so, he could hope to regain, by successive
degrees that corresponded to popular astrological doctrine, the
original beatitude of the soul; the wicked fell to the portion of
Ahriman.
The Relation to Christianity:
It is interesting to note the relationship of Classic Mithraism (from
about 100 BCE - 300 CE) to Early Christianity. Both religions were of
Oriental origin; they were propagated at roughly the same time, and
spread with equal rapidity on account of the same causes, that is, the
unity of the political world and the decay of its moral life. The
struggle was the more obstinate because of the resemblances between
the two religions, which were so numerous and so close as to draw
comment and mutual recrimination as early as the 2nd century.
These include: the fraternal spirit and structure of the first com-
munities, and their humble origin; the connection of their central
characters with the Sun; the legends of the shepherds with their gifts
and adoration; the flood, and the ark; the fiery chariot; the drawing
of water from the rock; the use of bell, candle, holy water and
communion; the sanctification of Sunday, and of December 25th; the
insistence on moral conduct, especially among the priests; the em-
phasis on abstinence and self-control; the doctrine of heaven and
hell, of primitive revelation, of the mediation of a semi-divine
Immortal between Man and the Supreme Being through an atoning sacri-
fice; the constant war between good and evil, and the ultimate triumph
of the former, the immortality of the soul, the last judgement,
resurrection of the flesh and the ultimate destruction of the world.
-oOo-
This article, which is by no means intended to be more than
an overview of the subject, draws heavily upon, and in fact
quoted extensively from, the 1953 edition of the Encyclopae-
dia Brittanica. Other sources include Professor John R.
Hinnell's "Persian Mythology" and various other articles on
the subject.
- Fr. Vitriol 335
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MITHRAS, An addendum.
After composing the previous three-part article on Mithras, I had a
Vision:
I was lying down, and the word "deep" kept coming into my mind. I
ignored it at first, but when it persisted, I turned my attention to
it. I noticed that the "d" and "p" were mirror reflections of
each other, and that the "ee," when I focussed my attention on it,
became a gate, which swung open for me to enter. Some part of my mind
related "deep" to "deepak" or "dipak" which I _think_ is Sanskrit,
but may be from some other Indo-European root, perhaps even Persian.
I entered the "gate."