THE FOUNDING DOCTRINES OF THE CULT

The teachings and rituals were the preserve of the initiated and kept secret from the general public. The exact details of these mysteries remain unknown. However, it is widely accepted that Mithras ceremonies took place at night and involved rituals centred on ideas of spiritual salvation, purification and rebirth. And introduced into this was the doctrine of duality – that of Good against Evil.

Worshippers were ranked according to grades of initiation, each having a specific place within the ceremonies. The journey of souls played a key role. A soul travelled the universe before taking possession of a body. Once that person died, the soul returned to the heavens.

The community would come together, just like Sol and Mithras, to share a meal accompanied by wine and holy water. Water was also used in baptisms, a sort of rite of passage into the Mithraic world.

Mithraism was not monotheist but henotheist as it often incorporated members of the Roman pantheon. Mithraic sanctuaries bearing inscriptions dedicated to other gods suggest some form of religious interaction.

Furthermore, being a follower of Mithras did not mean practising a single religion. It was possible to take part in religious ceremonies worshipping other deities during the day and then head to a mithraeum at night.