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 ource=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=dPEqVPLGBI6eyATfkYDgBg&ved=0CAYQ _AUoAQ#facrc=_&imgdii=COOw8xzqfOXZHM%3A%3Bj9n7r52E8psaaM%3 BCOOw8xzqfOXZHM%3A&imgrc=COOw8xzqfOXZHM%253A%3BTdxmLn RI6eS3XM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.heritageinstitute.com%252Fzo roastrianism%252Fimages%252Fkerman%252Fpriests.jpg%3Bhttp%253A% 252F%252Fwww.heritageinstitute.com%252Fzoroastrianism%252Fkerman %252Fpage2.htm%3B550%3B365