Discovery of the Temple. Discovered accidentally during construction
work beside the Walbrook, London, this temple to the Persian god of
light and the sun was moved to its present site in Temple Court, Queen
Victoria Street, so the workers could get on with the job. Don't be
fooled by its present elevated condition; mithraea (mithraic temples)
were generally built partly or completely underground, representing
the cave in which Mithras was said to have slain the primordial bull,
thereby unleashing the powers of creativity and life into the world.
Mithraism rose to prominence in the 3rd century A.D., though
its roots extend much further back. It emphasized courage, integrity,
and moral behaviour, and became very popular with soldiers of the Roman
army. With its focus on a saviour, sacrifice, and rebirth, it was also
a serious threat to early Christianity. It was exclusive to males, who
rose through its seven levels by means of fearsome initiation ceremonies.
Mithraic practices. Mithraic observances differed from traditional
paganism in that services were held communally, followers sitting on
benches either side of a narrow nave leading to an altar. As befits
a religion springing from the slaying of a bull, sacrifices were common
in mithraic observance, as were shared meals of wine and bread, particularly
on the festival of the 25th of December. These latter two observances
smacked of mockery to early Christians, who may well have sensed in
Mithraism a serious rival. When Constantine the Great legitimized Christianity
in 312 A.D. the Christians spent a good deal of energy knocking down
everything mithraic in sight.
The Temple of Mithras was built some time in the middle of the 3rd century
A.D. Within the temple were found likenesses of Minerva, Bacchus, and
Serapis, imported from Italy. These are now to be seen at the Museum
of London. One final note; the form of temple used by mithraism is the
fore-runner of the traditional Christian church, with aisles flanking
a long nave leading to an altar and an apse. The Christians may have
been horrified, but architecturally, at least, they owed a debt of thanks
to mithraism.
London Underground to Bank station, take the exit next to the
Waterloo and City Line, and follow the signs for Walbrook. Go
along Walbrook to St Stephen Walbrook church. Take a right turn
onto Bucklersbury, then left onto Queen Victoria Street. The
Temple is within a fenced enclosure.
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