Faith at a glance:

Zoroastrainism

Background

Zoroastrianism is the ancient religion of the Persians and originated with the prophet Zarathustra, or Zoroaster in Greek, who lived in North Eastern Iran about 1,200bce.Zarathushtra was a zaotar, or priest, within a traditional polytheistic religious culture. At the age of thirty he had a vision that led him to a new understanding of the world and its destiny, and of the struggle between good and evil and the place of humankind within it.

Zoroastrianism became the religion of the Persian empires of the Achaemenids (559-331BCE), the Parthians (mid second century BCE - 224CE) and the Sassanians (224-652CE).

Most Zoroastrians today are Iranian / Persian or descended from families that fled to India after the Muslim conquests and are called Parsees.

The Divine

Zarathushtra proclaimed the worship of Ahura Mazda, the Lord of Wisdom, who created a good world consisting of seven elements of creation: the sky, waters, earth, plants, cattle, humans, and fire.

Evil is the work of Angra Mainyu, the Spirit of Destruction, source of anger, greed, jealousy and violence in the world.

Fire, Adur, is a sacred energy that symbolizes truth and righteousness, the power of Ahura Mazda in the world. It is not worshipped in itself, but is used in many Zoroastrian ceremonies as a focus for worship. Zoroastrian temples may be known as Fire Temples.

 The Creation

The elements of creation are guarded by the Amesha Spentas, the Bounteous Immortals, known as:

• Vohu Manah or Bahman (Good Mind), the guardian of cattle

• Asha Vahishta or Ardibehesht (Best Order/Truth and Righteousness), the guardian of fire

• Kshathra Vairya or Shahrevar (Divine Kingdom/ Dominion), the guardian of sky

• Spenta Armaiti or Aspandarmad (Bounteous Devotion), the guardian of earth

• Haurvatat or Khordad (Wholeness), the guardian of water

• Ameretat or Amardad (Immortality), the guardian of plants.

Classical Zoroastrian belief awaited the coming the Saviour to raise the dead ready for judgement, following which the world would return to its original perfection. This is known by Zoroastrians as the Frasho-keriti (Making Wonderful) Initiation

Ethics

Ahura Mazda is the source of truth, righteousness, order, and justice and wisdom. Zarathushtra called people to live lives characterized by:

•  good thoughts
•  good words
• good deeds

Human beings participate in the life of the creation, which is fundamentally good. They have freedom to choose how they will live in this life, and will be held accountable for their actions, and thus they contribute to the cosmic struggle between good and evil.

The initiation ceremony for the children of Zoroastrian parents usually takes place prior to puberty, between the age of seven and eleven. Children are given the sudreh, which is a sacred tunic, worn to symbolise purity and good purpose; and a sacred cord with three knots to remind them of their ethical obligations: good thoughts, good words, good deeds.  Both are seen as protection in the struggle against evil.

Worship

The Fravarane is a key prayer of Zoroastrianism and commences with the words:

Come to my aid, O Mazda! I profess myself a worshipper of Mazda, I am a Zoroastrian worshipper of Mazda.

For regular devotions, the day is divided into five hours marked by prayer:

• Havan (from sunrise to noon)
• Rapithwan (from noon till 3.00pm)
• Uziren (from 3.00pm to sunset)
• Aiwisruthrem (from sunset to midnight)
• Ushahen (from midnight to sunrise).

Scriptures

The main Zoroastrian scriptures are known as the Avesta. This is based on an oral tradition eventually written down in the fifth or sixth century CE, and which includes a group of hymns of Zarathustra, the gathas.