New Priest for Old Faith

March 5, 2007

Author: Jean Torkelson

Source: Rocky Mountain News

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/local/article/0,1299,DRMN_15_5395627,00.html

What do you do when your young people want to marry and your old people come to die, but the nearest priest available to mark such milestones lives thousands of miles away?

For Coloradans who practice Zoroastrianism, one of the world's oldest and most fragile religions, the question has been a vexing one - until Sunday.

Rumi Engineer, an immigration lawyer from Littleton, was admitted into the priesthood of his 5,000- year-old faith, making him one of only about 100 priests in North America, and the first in Denver.

"Besides my Creator, I've had many mentors and practically all of them are here today," said Engineer before about 40 well-wishers gathered at the Church of Religious Science, 1420 Ogden St. The two faiths share worship space and a similar philosophy of the importance of the mind in defining human existence.

The Persia-born prophet Zoroaster broke from the worship of many gods to found what believers say is the first monotheistic faith. They also believe the most priceless gift the Supreme Being gave to humanity was the mind.