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Significance of Fire in Mithraism?

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Significance of Fire in Mithraism?
Luc. Ambr. Ianuarianus Offline
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#1
09-18-2011, 05:16 AM
I'm curious if there was any particular significance of fire in Mithraic worship?
John Lucas
Luc. Ambr. Ianuarianus
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Jona Lendering Offline
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#2
09-18-2011, 09:57 AM
Just two remarks, hurriedly, from a hotel room in Kurdistan...

In the first place, I think it was more important in the Iranian context of Mithraism than in the later, Roman cult. I have never heard of a Roman fire altar like the ones in Iran.

In the second place, I would not think that fire had just one symbolic value. Christianity offers, a religion that has an articulated set of beliefs, several interpretations of the Last Supper and the Crucifixion. Individual Mithraic believers must have had opinions of their own. Back then, they must have been as divided as they are today.
Jona Lendering
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joeandmich Offline
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#3
09-18-2011, 06:38 PM
Didn't follower of Mithras brand themselves?
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