Rituals

Ritual

For the reconstruction of the Mithraic rituals, it has only the texts of the Fathers of the Church who criticize Mithraism, and iconography found in mitreos.

Women were excluded from the mysteries of Mithras. As for men, it seems that a minimum age is required for admission, and even were initiated several children. The language used in the rituals was Greek, with some formulas in Persian (probably incomprehensible to most of the faithful), but was progressively introducing Latin.

It appears that the main rite Mithraic religion was a ritual feast, which might have some similarities to the Christian Eucharist. According to Christian commentator Justin food offered at the banquet were bread and water, but archaeological findings suggest that it was bread and wine, as in the Christian rite. This ceremony was held in the central part of mitreo, in which two parallel sidewalks offer enough space so that the faithful could lie, according to Roman custom to attend the banquet. The Raven (Corax) play the role of servers in sacred meals. The ritual included the sacrifice of a bull. Also sacrificed animals.

The statue of Mitra Tauróctonos certainly played a role in these rites, but it is not clear which. In some mitreos rotating pedestals have been discovered, which would alternately hide and show the image to the faithful.

At some point in the evolution of Mithraism, was also used taurobolium or baptismal rite of the faithful with the blood of a bull, also practiced by other Eastern religions. We know from Tertullian Christian severe condemnation of these practices.

Other rites should be related to the initiation ceremonies. Thanks to Tertullian, is known initiation rite Soldier (Miles): the candidate was "baptized" (probably by immersion), is marked with a hot iron and finally proved it through the "rite of the crown" ( he placed the crown on his head, and the neophyte had to drop it, proclaiming that Mithra was his crown). Then initiates attending a ritual death and simulated, where the officiant was a pater, possibly linked to reincarnation as the last step of the initiation ceremony. The degree of Leo, we know from Porphyry, who honey placed on the tongue of newborns and that this practice comes from the Iranian cult in which honey represented the moon. For older initiates honey poured on the hands and licking them as a sign of communion. Surely, each level would have its own initiation ritual.

Festivities

The December 25th (coinciding approximately with the winter solstice) commemorated the birth of Mithra. They were also sacred the 16th of each month. The followers of Mithra also sanctified Sunday, the day of the Sun

History of Mithraism