Zoroastrianism is an ancient monotheistic religion founded by the prophet Zoroaster in Persia. It believes in one supreme creator God called Ahura Mazda who is eternal and battles the destructive spirit Angra Mainyu. Followers aim to combat evil through good deeds, thoughts, and works to attain salvation after death. Rituals include daily prayers before a sacred fire and rites of passage like receiving special clothing at age 7-10. Though once a major world faith, only around 200,000 Zoroastrians remain today primarily in India and Iran.

1. By: Dawson, Noah, & Olivia
Zoroastrianism

2. Demographics
Worldwide: 201,397
India: 75,862
Iran: 63,835
U.S.: 18,808
Pakistan: 8,129
https://www.reddit.com/r/MapPorn/comments/7ahr1q/population_of_zoroastrians_worldwide_1024_x_768/
* Based on 2020 numbers from
World Religion Database
Olivia

3. History & Biography (Olivia)
➢ Founded in ancient Persia
➢ Founded by a Persian prophet they call Zoroaster
○ Real name is Zarathushtra, which means
"Shining Light"
➢ Scholars are unsure about the date of Zoroaster's
birth. Ranging for 6350 BC – 600 BC
○ According to Zoroastrian tradition, Zoroaster
lived 258 years before Alexander the Great
(330 BCE)
➢ Society at the time was largely polytheist
(worshipped many gods). Zoroaster, rejected
polytheism and class structure, because he found
the power it had over ordinary people to be
oppressive.
https://oll.libertyfund.org/person/zarathushtra-zoroaster
Olivia

4. History & Biography
➢ At the age of 30, while bathing in a river during a pagan purification
ritual, Zoroaster had a vision. He saw a “Shining Being” revealed itself
as Vohu Manah (“Good Mind”).
➢ Vohu Manah eventually led Zoroaster to Ahura Mazda (Zoroastrian
name for god) and was accompanied by the Amesha Spentas (Holy
Immortals).
➢ Zoroaster had multiple visions and he would ask Ahura Mazda (god)
and the Amesha Spentas (holy immortals) questions. The answers
that he received led to the teachings of Zoroastrianism.
➢ Zoroaster’s teachings were not received well by others. After 12
years, Zoroaster left his homeland to find people who would listen to
him.
➢ His journey led him to the kingdom of Bactria (present-day
Afghanistan, Tajikistan, & Uzbekistan) The leaders here were
persuaded and converted to his new religion and making it their
kingdom’s official religion.
https://gods-and-demons.fandom.com/wiki/Vohu_Manah
Olivia

5. History & Biography
➢ Zoroastrianism spread across Asia through
the historic Silk Road, eventually making it
all the way to Europe.
➢ Later it became the official religion of the
mighty Persian Achaemenid Empire, an
empire that stretched from Anatolia and
Egypt to northern India and Central Asia.
➢ Zoroastrianism is one of the oldest
monotheistic religions of our modern
humanity
➢ It contains both monotheistic and dualistic
elements, causing scholars to believe
Zoroastrianism influenced the belief
systems of judaism, Christianity and Islam.
https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/zoroastrianism.html
Olivia

6. Beliefs: Monotheistic God
➢ Belief in one true creator God, Ahura Mazda
➢ Ahura Mazda is eternal and uncreated
➢ Ahura Mazda means Wise Lord
➢ There are six Holy Immortals, known as the
Amesha Spentas (Bounteous Immortal),
which help govern creation
➢ Emanated from Ahura Mazda
(New World Encyclopedia, 1993)
Noah Paape
https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=https%3A%2F%2Fparsi-times.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2019%2F01%2Ffarohar.jpg&tbnid=h488J606lFKDwM&vet=12ahUKEwjp67ySibz-
AhU6PUQIHUzbD6kQMygFegUIARD7AQ..i&imgrefurl=https%3A%2F%2Fparsi-times.com%2F2020%2F05%2Fthe-101-names-of-pak-dadar-ahura-mazda-part-vi%2F&docid=-
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https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Fparsi-times.com%2F2019%2F11%2Fthe-significance-of-the-seven-amesha-
spentas%2F&psig=AOvVaw2y_BAKcuRf_8c3Tkv4lHYJ&ust=1682204287281000&source=images&cd=vfe&ved=0CBAQjRxqFwoTCIDS9bmJvP4CFQAAAAAdAAAAABAE

7. Beliefs: The Evil One
➢ Angra Mainyu is the destructive spirit (Similar to
Satan)
➢ Has evil minions called Daevas
➢ Seeks to corrupt, destroy and kill Ahura Mazda’s
creation
➢ Everything is a battle between light and dark. Ahura
brings beauty, Angra brings destruction
➢ There was a time where Ahura Mazda and Angra
Mainyu lived in in separate voids, until Ahura created
the Getig (the physical world). Angra Mainyu and his
minions came in with destruction and death.
➢ Belief in Gumezishn. Evil and light, truth and deceit
living together
Noah Paape
https://genies.fandom.com/wiki/Angra_Mainyu

8. Belief: Good Vs. Evil
➢ Current life with evil is temporary
➢ Theology centers around the
threefold path of good work, good
thought, and good deed to combat
Angra Mainyu
➢ After death, good and bad deeds are
weighed on a scale. Enough good
deeds let you go to the Abode of
Song, others are sent to a long age of
misery and darkness, Duzakh
➢ There is a middle ground, where
spirits roam in a limbo type of area
Noah Paape

9. Belief: Frashokerti (Renewal)
➢ After thousands of years of battle between
good and evil, a savior named the
Saoshyant who will lead people against
evil and lead humanity into the end times
➢ The world will turn into fire and molten
metal will burn and purify those who live
evil lives, and those who are good will
ascend to heaven
➢ The gates of Duzakh open, and the souls
will be purified and redeemed, and all of
the souls will live together peacefully
Noah Paape

10. Practices
➢ Penance involves reciting the patet, committing to not
sin again, and confessing sins to a dastūr or priest. The
main ceremony, Yasna, involves offering haoma to the
sacred fire, along with other offerings. The fire must be
kept burning continually and prayers are recited five
times a day. Establishing a new fire involves a complex
ceremony, and there are additional rituals for fire
purification and regeneration.
Dawson C

11. Rituals
➢ All young Parsis must be initiated when they reach the
age of seven (in India) or 10 (in Persia). They receive the
shirt (sadre) and the girdle (kusti), which they are to
wear their whole life.
➢ There are three types of purification, with increasing
importance: padyab, which involves ablution; nahn,
which requires a bath; and bareshnum, a elaborate
ritual performed at specific places and involving a dog.
During bareshnum, the candidate touches the left ear
of the dog, whose gaze is believed to ward off evil
spirits, and the ritual typically spans several days.
Dawson C

12. Reflection
Dawson- i found this religion quite odd, Especially their practices and rituals. I found
it interesting how by the time they hit the ages 7-10 there are given the clothes
there are supposed to wear for the rest of their lives.
Olivia - I thought it was interesting how scholars think it influenced christianity. I
disagree with this because a lot of details seem to be missing about zoroastrianism.
Which is the complete opposite of Christianity, which has such a strong foundation.
I found it interesting how it spread and for it being one of the oldest religions, not
many people follow it.
Noah- I really enjoyed learning about the elongated history, and the changes in
belief over the years. I also really like the idea of all of creation being restored and
purified at the end of times. It’s quite nice.

13. References
Contractor, D. & H.(2003). Zoroastrianism: History, Beliefs, and Practices. The Theosophical Society in America.
https://www.theosophical.org/publications/quest-magazine/1231-zoroastrianism-history-beliefs-and-practices
Duchesne-Guillemin, J. (2023, March 27). Zoroastrianism. Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Zoroastrianism
Encyclopædia Britannica, inc. (n.d.). Practices and institutions. Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved April 21, 2023, from
https://www.britannica.com/topic/Zoroastrianism/Practices-and-institutions
Shvili, J. (2021, November 7). Zoroastrianism. WorldAtlas. https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/zoroastrianism.html