Zoroastrianism
Zoroastrianism
Zoroastrianism
Zoroastrianism is a monotheistic religion based upon the teachings of the ancient Persian prophet Zarathushtra. The Gathas, hymns considered the most important Zoroastrian teachings, describe an ethical path for living in a world conflicted between good and evil. The path calls for humans to live a life of good thoughts, good words, and good deeds.... 
Zoroastrians gained acceptance and eventual imperial power in Central Asia, reaching their zenith when Zoroastrianism was established as the state religion of the Sassanian Empire in the 3rd century. When the Sassanian Empire fell in 652 CE to Arab Muslims, Zoroastrians were forced to flee, convert, or practice in secret. A group of Zoroastrians, known as Parsis, fled to Gujurat, where they developed a cultural identity distinct from Iranian Zoroastrians.... 
In the United States, Parsi and Iranian Zoroastrian communities sometimes hold separate schedules and services, but many share places of worship and are members of the same national Zoroastrian organizations. On the national and trans-national level, seminars, youth programs, and federations bring these two communities together. These interactions contribute to distinct modes of American Zoroastrian identities and communities.... 
Zoroastrian houses of worship are called dar-e-mehrs, or fire temples. Their primary purpose is to house the “eternal flame,” a fire with which many Zoroastrian rituals are performed. While Indian dar-e-mehrs are closed to non-Zoroastrians, dar-e-mehrs in the United States act both as places of worship and learning centers open to non-Zoroastrians.... 
The Zoroastrian initiation ceremony, called the Navjote by Parsi Zoroastrians or Sudreh-Pushi by Iranian Zoroastrians, involves the investiture of a sacred shirt (sudreh) and sacred cord (kushti) that will be worn throughout life as a reminder of how to live ethically. Children choose to be initiated, typically between ages 7 and 15, and the initiation rites are the same across genders.... Explore Zoroastrianism in Greater Boston
After evolving separately for centuries in Iran and India, the two streams of the Zoroastrian tradition have come back together in America. In Boston, the community is small but vital: the 150 families affiliated with the Zoroastrian Association of Greater Boston marked their 35th anniversary in 2019. Looking forward, local Zoroastrians hope to develop the Zarathushti Center of Boston as a dedicated place for worship, gathering, and education.
