Over the centuries—in fact, from the earliest Christian times—Mithraism has been compared to Christianity, revealing numerous similarities between the two faiths doctrines and traditions, including as concerns stories of their respective godmen. In developing this analysis, it should be kept in mind that elements from Roman, Armenian and Persian Mithraism are utilized, not as a whole ideology but as separate items that may have affected the creation of Christianity, whether directly through the mechanism of Mithraism or through another Pagan source within the Roman Empire and beyond. The evidence points to these motifs and elements being adopted into Christianity not as a whole from one source but singularly from many sources, including Mithraism.

"The evidence points to these motifs and elements being adopted into Christianity..."

Thus, the following list represents not a solidified mythos or narrative of one particular Mithra or form of the god as developed in one particular culture and era but, rather, a combination of them all for ease of reference as to any possible influences upon Christianity under the name of Mitra/Mithra/Mithras.

Mithra has the following in common with the Jesus character:
* Mithra was born on December 25th of the virgin Anahita.
* The babe was wrapped in swaddling clothes, placed in a manger and attended by shepherds.
* He was considered a great traveling teacher and master.
* He had 12 companions or "disciples."
* He performed miracles.
* As the "great bull of the Sun," Mithra sacrificed himself for world peace.
* Mithra ascending to heaven in his solar cart, with sun symbol. He ascended to heaven.
* Mithra was viewed as the Good Shepherd, the "Way, the Truth and the Light," the Redeemer, the Savior, the Messiah.
* Mithra is omniscient, as he "hears all, sees all, knows all: none can deceive him."
* He was identified with both the Lion and the Lamb.
* His sacred day was Sunday, "the Lord s Day," hundreds of years before the appearance of Christ.
* His religion had a eucharist or "Lord s Supper."
* Mithra "sets his marks on the foreheads of his soldiers."
* Mithraism emphasized baptism.

Detaylı bilgi için: http://www.truthbeknown.com/mithra.htm

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ciGXtLgvqxA

Yalda (Persian: یلدا) , Yalda Night / Shab-e Yaldâ (Persian: شب یلدا), or Shab-e Chelleh (Persian: شب چله, Azerbaijani: Çillə gecəsi) is the Persian Winter Solstice Celebration[1][2] which has been popular since ancient times. Yalda is celebrated on the Northern Hemisphere s longest night of the year, that is, on the eve of the Winter Solstice. Depending on the shift of the calendar, Yalda is celebrated on or around December 20 or 21 each year.

Yalda has a history as long as the Mithraism religion. The Mithraists believed that this night is the night of the birth of Mithra, Persian god of light and truth. At the morning of the longest night of the year the Mithra was born.

Following the fall of the Sassanid Empire and the subsequent rise of Islam in Persia/Iran, the religious significance of the event was lost, and like other Zoroastrian festivals, Yalda became a social occasion when family and close friends would get together. Nonetheless, the obligatory serving of fresh fruit during mid-winter is reminiscent of the ancient customs of invoking the divinities to request protection of the winter crop.

The 13th century Persian poet Sa di wrote in his Bustan: "The true morning will not come, until the Yalda Night is gone".

Following the Persian calendar reform of 1925, which pegged some seasonal events to specific days of the calendar, Yalda came to be celebrated on the night before and including the first day of the tenth month (Dey). Subject to seasonal drift, this day may sometimes fall a day before or a day after the actual Winter Solstice.

Yalda Night has been officially added to Iran s List of National Treasures in a special ceremony in 2008.[3]

detaylı bilgi için: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yalda