it is the first and oldest church.
The Roman Empire assimilated and perverted Christianity in 325CE with Mithraism, the existing secret Babylonian MYSTERY RELIGION of the Roman government and military. There were many churches before that.
* Mithra was born on December 25th. Called "Birthday of the Unconquered Sun", it was incorporated into the church in the 4th century AD as the birthday of Christ. Although Jesus was born in October, christians today celebrate Mithra' birthday, believing it was Jesus' birthday.
* Mithra' birth was witnessed by shepherds and by Magi (the root of the word magician) who brought gifts to his sacred birth-cave of the Rock
* He was considered a great travelling teacher and master.
* He had 12 companions or disciples, which in Mithraism were represented by the 12 astrological signs.
* He performed miracles.
* He was buried in a tomb.
* After three days he rose again, but with no witnesses to the event
* His triumph over death and ascension to heaven were celebrated at the Mithran's most important festival, Easter, held at the spring equinox when the sun rises toward its apogee
* Mithra was called "the Good Shepherd."
* He was considered "the Way, the Truth and the Light, the Redeemer, the Savior, the Messiah."
* In the cult's rituals, Mithra was identified with both the Lion and the Lamb.
* His sacred day was Sunday, and was called "the Lord's Day" hundreds of years before the appearance of Christ.
* Mithraism had a Eucharist or "Lord's Supper" in which bread was eaten as a symbol of Mithra' body, and wine was drunk as a symbol of the blood shed when Mithra overpowered and killed the bull
* Mithra performed many miracles, including raising the dead, healing the sick, making the blind see and the lame walk, casting out devils.
* Mithra was said to carry keys to the kingdom of heaven.
* Mithra was called the god of light and truth, the god of mediation between god and man. He was to his worshippers The creator of life; The Mediator between man and the higher gods; The God of light; The All-seeing one; The Guardian of oaths (covenants); The Protector of the righteous in this world and also in the next.
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A trinity godhead comprised of Mithra (divine god of truth), Rashnu (divine god of justice, judgement and righteousness), Vohu Manah (divine spirit of enlightenment). These three persons were separate yet they were one.
Before returning to heaven, Mithra was said to have celebrated a Last Supper with followers, who represented the twelve signs of the zodiac. In memory of this, his worshippers partook of a sacramental meal of bread marked with the Mithran cross of light.
This was one of the seven Mithraic sacraments, believed to be the models for the Christians' seven sacraments, which follow them identically. It was called mizd, latin missa, in other words, English mass. Mithra' image was buried in a rock tomb, the same sacred cave that represented his mother's womb. He was withdrawn from it and said to live again.
Mithraism was an ascetic, anti-female religion. Its priesthood consisted of celibate men only.
