1 The cult of Mithras was Christianity's main rival at the time of Constantine.

2 Contemporary sources described Mithra as having 10,000 ears and eyes, and as riding a gleaming white chariot above the clouds.

3 During his travels, Mithra was thought to see all - nothing could be concealed from his gaze.

4 Mithra is an Indo-Iranian sun god.

5 Mithra like the rest of the gods and goddess of the Iranian Pantheon was stripped of his sovereignty, and all his powers and attributes were bestowed upon Zarathustra.

6 It was believed that Mithra, an infant god, was born of a rock.

7 Mithra was the second most important deity and the protector of covenants.

8 It was based on worship of the god Mithras and derives from the Persian and Indic god Mithra and other Zoroastrian deities .

9 All souls were to be judged by Mithra (represented as a bull) with the Elect going to heaven, and the earthly and evil being annihilated in a great battle.

10 Since pagan Rome already celebrated the birth of Mithra on December 25th...

11 It is tempting to identify the Roman Mithras with the Persian Mithra,[] except that there is no known Persian legend or text about Mithra killing a bull or being associated with other animals.

12 Sitting next to Mithra (Father), dressed in red, color of sun, fire and blood of life.

13 Eventually, Mithra became more militant, and he is best known as a warrior.

14 When the Iranians separated from their Indian brethren, Mitra became known as "Mithra" or "Mihr, " as he is also called in Persian.

15 Some Romans, particularly soldiers and government officials, also worshipped Mithra, the sun god.

16 It is believed that to this small but powerful sect, the birthday of Mithra, December 25th, was the holiest day of the year.

17 Subsequent to the military campaign of Alexander the Great in the fourth century BCE, Mithra became the "favorite deity" of Asia Minor. Christian writers Dr. Samuel Jackson and George W.

18 It is also hard to explain how the Sun-god Mithra would come to be worshipped in the windowless , cave-like mithraeum.

19 This also symbolizes the removing the head(intellect) itself, allowing Mithra to be the guide.