ZOROASTRIANISM

Michelle Itzamar A01560308

DEFINITION
Zoroastrianism is one of the world's oldest monotheistic religions. It was
founded by the Prophet Zoroaster (or Zarathustra) in ancient Iran
approximately 3500 years ago.
For 1000 years Zoroastrianism was one of the most powerful religions in the
world. It was the official religion of Persia (Iran) from 600 BCE to 650 CE.
BELIEFS:
Zoroastrians believe there is one God called Ahura Mazda (Wise Lord) and
He created the world.
Zoroastrians are not fire-worshippers, as some Westerners wrongly believe.
Zoroastrians believe that the elements are pure and that fire represents
God's light or wisdom.
Ahura Mazda revealed the truth through the Prophet, Zoroaster.
Zoroastrians traditionally pray several times a day.
Zoroastrians worship communally in a Fire Temple or Agiary.
The Zoroastrian book of Holy Scriptures is called The Avesta.
The Avesta can be roughly split
into two main sections:
The Avesta is the oldest and core
part of the scriptures, which
contains the Gathas. The Gathas
are seventeen hymns thought to
be composed by Zoroaster
himself.
The Younger Avesta -
commentaries to the older
Avestan written in later years. It
also contains myths, stories and
details of ritual observances.
Zoroastrians are roughly split into
two groups:
The Iranians
The Parsis


WORSHIP


PURIFICA
TION
Zoroastrians are not fire-
worshippers, as some Westerners
wrongly believe. Zoroastrians
believe that the elements are pure
and that fire represents God's light
or wisdom.

Zoroaster placed less emphasis on
ritual worship, instead focusing on
the central ethics of 'Good Words,
Good Thoughts and Good Deeds'.

Zoroastrian worship is not
prescriptive. Its followers can
choose whether they wish to pray
and how.
PRAYERS
Zoroastrians traditionally pray several
times a day. Some wear a kusti, which is
a cord knotted three times, to remind
them of the maxim, 'Good Words, Good
Thoughts, Good Deeds'. They wrap the
kusti around the outside of a sudreh, a
long, clean, white cotton shirt. They may
engage in a purification ritual, such as
the washing of the hands, then untie and
then retie it while reciting prayers.
NAVJOTE (INITIATION):
The Navjote is also known as Sedreh-
Pushi. This is the initiation ceremony where
a child, between the ages of seven and
twelve, receives his or her sudreh and kusti
and performs the 'Kusti Ritual' for the first
time.
PURIFICATION:
Purification is strongly emphasised in Zoroastrian
rituals. Zoroastrians focus on keeping their minds,
bodies and environments pure in the quest to defeat
evil (Angra Mainyu). Fire is seen as the supreme
symbol of purity, and sacred fires are maintained in
Fire Temples (Agiaries). These fires represent the
light of God (Ahura Mazda) as well as the illuminated
mind, and are never extinguished. No Zoroastrian
ritual or ceremony is performed without the presence
of a sacred fire.
PERCENT FOR THIS
RELIGIN:
STOR
Y:
facing serious internal crisis, due to the conflict
between Orthodox priests and young modernists.
Those insisting on the funerary practice of the
ancestors and to preserve it in the Malabar-the
most exclusive residential area of Bombay, a gray
stone building called the Tower of Silence hill.
There are resulted Parsis dying. The bodies of
children, women and men are placed on stone
slabs and are exposed to the voracity of gigantic
vultures. Birds of prey tear their flesh and leave
only short-term skeletal bones. Then the Sun and
the calcined after being semipulverizados debris,
thrown to enabled on the bottom of the tower shaft.
From there, driven by water, reach the sea. Young
Parsis find that this ceremony, which dates back
many centuries, [citation needed] should
disappear. Some fear that this religion itself
disappears.
REFERENCES:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/re
ligion/religions/zoroastrian/ataglance/glance.shtml
https://www.google.com.mx/search?q=zoroastrianism&biw=1034&bih=751&s
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