The history of Zoroastrianism began with the sermons of the prophet Zarathustra.

The deity Ahura Mazda chose Zarathustra as his successor while he was in the womb. 

When Zarathustra reached his youth, Ahura Mazda gave him the dogmas of the creed prescribed in the holy scripture – the Avesta. 

The Prophet preached in the squares. His teaching has spread all over the world. 

In the seventh century CE, the Arabs conquered part of Central Asia. This led to the displacement of Zoroastrianism from the territories of Iran. Most of the followers of this creed migrated to the territories of modern India and Pakistan.

Zoroastrianism means “good faith” in Persian. The essence of Zoroastrianism is to follow good thoughts, ideas and actions.

Zoroastrians identified 9 components of faith:

1. Ahura Mazda is the one creator God.
2. Zarathustra is the only prophet of Ahura Mazda who led believers on the right path.
3. A person’s life in the spiritual world depends on the choice of good or evil.
4. A person who has chosen the path of goodness must accept the law of harmony.
5. Faith allows a person to distinguish good from evil.
6. Faith in Amesha-Spenta – the seven spirits of goodness that create a righteous world.
7. You need to help your neighbour.
8. It is necessary to treat the elements carefully and with love.
9. Evil can be exorcised by joint efforts.

For a long time, the creeds were transmitted in the format of an oral tradition. It was only in the 5th century CE that the holy scripture “Avesta” was formed by the followers of Zoroastrianism.

“Avesta” consists of three sections: 

1. Yasna – texts of prayers for divine services.
2. Yashty – stories about legendary battles, songs dedicated to God and his retinue.
3. Videvdat – rituals and descriptions of evil spirits.

The commandments in Zoroastrianism are presented in the form of 10 messages that set out the basics of spiritual improvement:

1. 1. Life is a struggle between good and evil.
   2. Goodness is the salvation of the soul. It is necessary to give up everything “unclean”.
   3. The elements must be preserved in their original state.
   4. The human life path should be dedicated to development.
   5. During the ceremony, the clothes must be clean.
   6. Respect and honour parents, teachers and the country.
   7. Do charity work.
   8. Get rid of habits that are contrary to righteousness.
   9. Pray for yourself, family and ancestors.

•  Honour the heavenly bodies. They are part of the Creator God.

Religious rites are distinguished by “purity”, performed only in white robes. These sacraments allowed the Zoroastrians to feel as one in the confrontation with evil.

A permanent attribute of the rituals is considered to be fire – a symbol of the Creator God.

There are several rules for conducting rituals:

1. 1. Public ceremonies are usually conducted by men. Home rituals can be performed by women.
   2. The person conducting the rite must be clean. 
   3. You cannot turn your face to the sacred fire during the ceremony.
   4. It is allowed to sit on long rites.
   5. During the ceremony, only believers of this religion can be present.

• The texts of the prayers are read in the ancient, original language.

Let ‘s consider the main rituals:

1. The burial ceremony. According to Zoroastrian legends, death is evil. Therefore, the human body could not be burned, buried in the ground or let on water. The body of the deceased was usually attached to the facade of the tower at a height of five meters, so as not to desecrate the shrines. The bones were dumped into the well after drying by the sun. Now customs have changed, and the dead are buried in cemented graves.
2. Barashnum is a rite of purification. It is held for the remission of sins, during ordination, as well as when touching the body of the deceased. Accompanied by washing with water and sand. The ritual is carried out for 9 days, necessarily in the presence of dogs as a symbol of purity.
3. Sedreh-pushi is a rite of initiation. It is held in honour of joining the faith. At the initiation, a loincloth and a sacred shirt are worn.

Zoroastrians have quite a lot of holidays. Officially, there are 22 solemn dates. All of them relate to natural cycles and are celebrated when the sun occupies a certain place in the zodiac circle. Because of this, the dates of holidays are constantly changing by 1-2 days.

Consider the main festivals in Zoroastrianism:

1. Nowruz. Translated as “new day”. It was celebrated on the eve of the vernal equinox. On this day, the souls of the dead return to earth. It is celebrated for 13 days, starting from March 21.
2. Haurvat. Dedicated to the veneration of healers, doctors. The date falls at the time of the summer solstice – June 18. On this day, water acquires healing properties. According to legend, it cleanses the soul.
3. The feast of the Prophet Zarathustra. It is celebrated on December 22. It is dedicated to the prophet whose sermons spread Zoroastrianism around the world. On this day, hymns are sung and cakes with predictions are baked. 
4. The Feast of Mithras. It is celebrated on December 20-21. Dedicated to the patron saint of honesty and justice – Mitra. He administers justice over dishonest, disobedient people.

Certain sacred places are not singled out in religion. Only the fire that was lit during prayers, rituals and holidays is significant.

There are two cities where the fire of the Zoroastrians has always been lit: 

Yazd is an ancient city of Iran, which has preserved the pristine architecture of antiquity. 

Kerman is an ancient city of Iran, history of which began in the 3rd century BCE. In ancient times it was the capital of the state of nomadic Zoroastrians.

In the Iranian pantheon, the supreme deity is Ahura Mazda (“Wise Lord”). 

He is the creator of everything, patron of the Zoroastrians. He is the light fighting evil on Earth. 

With his teachings, he points out a righteous life path for lost sinners.

There is practically no information in the public domain about people who preach Zoroastrianism at the present time. Some media attribute this to the fact that religion is in deep decline. In the historical regions of the spread of Zoroastrianism, this teaching was gradually replaced by Islam. 

Of the famous modern followers of Zoroastrianism , we note:

Zubin Mehta is a world-renowned conductor from India. Born in 1936. His whole family preaches Zoroastrianism. Zubin Mehta is the author of the film “On the Wings of Fire”. The teachings of Zoroastrianism are reflected in this film adaptation. 

Freddie Mercury was a British singer. Born in 1946 in Zanzibar. Together with his family, he professed Zoroastrianism.

In 657 AD, the persecution of the Zoroastrians by the Islamic conquerors began. Temples of lights were destroyed. Believers were taxed and forbidden to engage in certain types of crafts.

There is no reliable information about this person. Researchers date the period of his life from the beginning of the second millennium to the sixth century BCE. 

Born in the city of Rhages. From the age of seven, he gravitated towards the scriptures and religion. At the age of twenty, he gave up worldly life and began to wander the world. At the age of thirty, Ahura Mazda transmitted his teachings to Zarathustra.

Zarathustra is the only prophet in Zoroastrianism. 

The prophet’s life ended at the age of 77. He was killed by Brādrēs during prayer.