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London's Temple of Mithras is moving back to its original location
London got its start as the Roman city of Londinium in the first century AD. Back then the so-called "mystery religions" were very popular in the Roman Empire. These cults, with their personal connections to the divine and secret rites, gave believers a more personal experience than the giant temples to Jupiter, Mars, and the rest of the standard pantheon. One of the most popular mystery religions was that of Mithras, an eastern deity whose worship appears to have been open only to men, mainly soldiers.
Since Mithraic rites were secret, not much is known about their beliefs, but there are many similarities between Mithraism and Christianity, such as Mithras being born on December 25 to a virgin, and having died and been resurrected for the salvation of mankind. Both faiths practiced baptism and communal meals. The similarities were so numerous that early Christian writers claimed the older religion was invented by the Devil as a cheap imitation of Christianity before Jesus was even born!
Temples to Mithras, called mithraea, have been found all over the Roman Empire, including one in the heart of London. The mithraeum in Roman London was discovered in 1952 and moved 90 meters away and set up on Queen Victoria St. The restoration wasn't a completely accurate one. One major problem was that it was put on a podium when mithraea were generally underground.
Now the site has been bought by Bloomberg LP, which plans to build its European headquarters there. Bloomberg LP is going to dismantle the temple and put it back in its original location, according to a press release from the Museum of London Archaeology. The temple will be dismantled starting on November 21 and the corporation says the new reconstruction will be much more accurate. There's no word yet on when this whole project will be completed. Such a large and delicate process will probably take several years.
Filed under: Arts and Culture, History, Learning, Europe, United Kingdom
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Carolyn Nov 20th 2011 10:04AM
Just shows that certain aspects which Christianity has appropriated for its own were simply common ideas floating around the Middle East at the time, not the special singular attributes of Christianity at all. There is nothing new under the sun...
monica goldstein Nov 20th 2011 10:04AM
Is this the same Bloomberg who is Mayor of NYC?
Mbzmc Nov 20th 2011 12:48PM
Yes, it is. Just goes to show a demon is rebuilding one more of their houses of worship!....
jennifer Nov 20th 2011 12:48PM
http://www.frontline-apologetics.com/Mithras.html
No one twists facts and history like the Anti_CHristian crowd that screams for tolerance.... IF you are interested in a more factual story than above (including these "I believe everything I read " comments I recommend the link.
ARNOLD MAGGARD Nov 20th 2011 1:44PM
Sadly Jenifer, you are not very aware of religious history and it has nothing to do with twisting anything. The fact is, there is very little new in Christianity. Many of the permises of Christianity had been a part of other religious over the centuries before Christ. The virgin birth, martyrdom, resurrection and much of the Christian and Jewish literature are very similar if not identical to religions long before Christ. That is not a twist of truth, that is a fact and I challenge you to study religions prior to Christianity. Does that make Christianity less important - obviously not
Mijack Nov 20th 2011 4:33PM
Jennifer, Obviously, you are not well versed in the Bible. Lucifer, the enemy of our souls, is a liar and a counterfeiter who fathered many world religions that mimic tenets in both the Christian and Jewish religions. He knew if he incorporated God's truth in different forms he could deceive many with the exact thoughts in your post.
I can understand your confusion. But, if you search for the one true God, he will find you.
Ella Rydzewski Nov 20th 2011 1:23PM
Looking at history, the major Christian church at the time integrated Dec. 25 as the birthdate for Jesus from pagan culture as well as Sunday as a worship day--before that the early Christians kept the Jewish Sabbath. The plan of salvation through Jesus (retroactive for all humanity) was clearly established and prophesied in the ancient Jewish sacrificial service in which he was symbolized by a lamb. Christ as the promised Messiah fulfilled that ceremonial law. He never intended to establish a new religion.
Steven Nov 20th 2011 4:33PM
The origins of Mithriasm is not clear and debatable. The Romans began practicing Mithriasm in the First Century C.E., at the same time Christianity began spreading. Mithriasm is fundamentally different than Christianity in that, in its most common practice, Mithras was born from a rock as a adult and that the slaying of a bull was central to Mithras worship. In fact, very little is really known about Mithriasm and its theology since it was a secretive religion and its practitioners left few writings on the religion, making the religion's beliefs and practices debatable. More about Mithriasm and its alleged similarities with Christianity at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mithras_in_Comparison_With_Other_Belief_Systems
Consuelo Nov 21st 2011 3:21PM
Ella Rydzewski
"He never intended to establish a new religion." That's a very interesting statement. I've never heard or read this. I do remind my fellow Christians from time to time when we are in this subject that Jesus was born a Jew and never renouced Judaism ( is that rigth?). He was a practicing Jew. But what mankind overlooks is that God wants us to worship Him in Spirit and in truth, not ceremoniously where we are bound to loose the close fellowship that He desires from us.
However as for the pagan religions having similarities, this was some of the Satan great deception on mankind, he is the imitator, knowing that God our Father had a plan for redemption, Jesus being in the center of that plan, Satan brings in the many imitations ie astronomy/ astrology, etc. But He came to the Jew first, they are and will ever be the apple of His eye, and then to the Gentile, there is room at the cross for all.
paganmom Nov 20th 2011 4:34PM
As a practicing Pagan, I am offended by the idea that Satan has anything to do with the old Religion. The concept of Satan was begun in the Judeo-Christian-Muslim religions. Paganism roots go back to the Neolithic Age and the Goddess religions of that time.The idea of Satan was/is not found in these older beliefs.
Consuelo Nov 21st 2011 3:23PM
Practice ? I don't practice, I believe in God. I find it interesting and a little amusing that a pagan could be offended by my beliefs.
My belief in the Trinity goes back to the Lord God , the great I Am , ageless and loving God. It was He that through Satan out of heaven because of his rebellion to God; this before God created man which of course includes all pagans.
By the way, how and what do pagans practice?
mr bob Nov 21st 2011 2:56AM
consuelo if you were born muslim you would be yelling god is great and blowng yourself up. Religion is based on faith not facts. The bible is written by man to control him. god nor jesus wrote anything. The fact would be that it is a great story but a story. Blind faith says the dinosaurs lived a few thousand years ago but do not tell the chinese as thier calender is in 5000 plus years running. I do not believe that everyone except the muslims who get 73 virgins when they die and the woman get nothing, everyone else are going to hell. Weare but a spec of dust in the universe so I dont think gahd has all his time for you and you fellow faithful. The biggest thieves I ever encountered used the lord to con people. sorry but that is the way I see it . Study religion the devil is a joke ... horns and stuff......
jennifer Nov 21st 2011 2:56AM
Mijack...you misunderstood my comment I am a Christian and student of the Bible. What you say is exactly true! Nothing deceives better than a grain of truth.