THE WORSHIP OF MITHRAS

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1535, 3 September 1912, Page 5

THE WORSHIP OF MITHRAS

TEMPLE FOUND IN KOME.

By Teleeraph-Press Aesociation-Copyright Rome, September 1.. The largest nncKmOst complete temple to Mithras yet known was discovered during excavation work at the great Caracalla Baths hero. Tho temple underlies the Stadium, and is so constructed as to be inaccessible to daylight.'

CHRISTIANITY'S GREAT RIVAL. Mithras was a Persian god of_ light, whoso worship, the latest one of importance to be brought from the Orient to Home, spread throughout the Empire and became the greatest antagonist of Christianity. It began to attract attention at Rome about the end of the first century, a.d. Mithraism courted the favour of Bom an paganism . and _ combined ■monotheism . with polytheism, while Christianity ' wns uncompromising (writes Dr. Grant Showman). Ihe former, as a consequence, won large numbers of supporters, who were drawn by tho possibility it afforded of adopting an attractive faith whjch did not involve a rupture with the Roman Society, and consequently with the State. In 'the middle of tho third century Mithraism seemed on the verge of becoming tho universal religion. Its .eminence, however, was so largely based upon dalliance with .Roman' Society, its weakness eo great in having only a /nythical character, instead of a personality, as an object of adoration, and in excluding women from its privileges, that it fell riipidlv before the assault* of Christianity. Manichaeism, which combined tho adoration of Zoroaster with Christ, became the refuge of those supporters of Mithrnism who • were inclined to compromise, while many found the transition to orthodox Christianity easy, because of its very resemblance to their old faith.