ZEITGEIST: THE MOVIE

liturgy, and placed in a sacred rock tomb called ―Petra,‖ from which he was removed after three
days in a great festival of rejoicing. 191
In writing about the Mithraic festival of Mihragān, Iranian studies professor Dr. Mary Boyce remarks:
...for centuries Mihragān...was celebrated in the spring. For many generations, therefore, Mithra‘s
feast was observed at a time traditionally associated with the Zoroastrian feast of the
resurrection. 192
Boyce also says, ―The Zoroastrian theologians are indeed recorded as saying...that as an autumn feast
Mihragān was a symbol of resurrection and the end of the world... 193
Epithets: Among other titles, Mithra was said to be, ―Mighty in strength, mighty rulers, greatest king of
gods! O Sun, lord of heaven and earth, God of Gods!‖ 194 He was also called ―the mediator.‖ 195
Mithra shared many such epithets with Christ, as Berry demonstrates:
Both Mithras and Christ were described variously as ―the way,‖ ―the truth,‖ ―the light,‖ ―the life,‖
―the word,‖ ―the son of god,‖ ―the good shepherd...‖ 196
In this same regard, Iranian scholar Dr. Payam Nabarz states, ―Mithras is described as the lord of wide
pastures, the lord of truth and contracts.‖ 197
And Dr. Marvin Meyers, a professor of Religious Studies at Chapman College, says:
Already among the ancient Indo-Iranian peoples, Mithras was known as a god of light, truth, and
integrity.... The Avesta calls Mithra ―the lord of wide pastures‖... 198
Sunday Worship: The Mithraic sacred day being Sunday represents a well-known tradition. As the
Catholic Encyclopedia states, ―Sunday was kept holy in honour of Mithra…‖ 199 Berry concurs:
Since Mithras was a sun-god, Sunday was automatically sacred to him—the ―Lords Day‖—long
before Christ. 200
Dr. Ezquerra also states, ―Some say the Lord‘s Day was celebrated on Sunday because that was the
Dies Solis, the day of the Sun, which in turn had something to do with Mithraism.‖ 201
Concerning Mithraism and Christianity, the Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia summarizes:
The birth of Mithra and of Christ were celebrated on the same day; tradition placed the birth of
both in a cave; both regarded Sunday as sacred; in both the central figure was a mediator
(mesitēs) who was one of a triad or trinity; in both there was a sacrifice for the benefit of the
race... 202
If tradition in India is an indication, this celebration of Mithra‘s sacred time on Sunday possibly dates back
to Vedic ages, 3,000 or more years ago, with his Indian counterpart Mitra being celebrated into modern
times on this day as well: ―...the deity is invoked every Sunday under the name of Mitra in a small pitcher
placed on a small earthen platform...‖ 203
191 Berry, 57.
192 Hinnells, I, 108.
193 Hinnells, I, 114.
194 Legge, II, 266.
195 De Jong, 172.
196 Berry, 57.
197 Nabarz, 25.
198 Meyer, 199.
199 CE, X, 404.
200 Berry, 57.
201 Ezquerra, 409.
202 Jackson, S., VII, 419.
203 Gonda, 131.