![]() Perhaps the most famous modern-day Zoroastrian is Zubin Mehta, conductor of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra. Some biblical scholars believe that one or more of the Magi who visited the infant Jesus were Zoroastrians. The temple in Vienna - Panthaki prefers to call it a church - will be one of only a half-dozen or so in the United States built specifically for Zoroastrian worship and meetings. centers are in San Jose, Houston, Chicago and New York. About 75,000 Zoroastrians live in Pakistan and India, where their ancestors migrated after the Muslim takeover of Persia in the 10th century, with 7,000 in Britain.Ībout 15,000 live in the United States, with 600 to 1,000 in the Washington-Baltimore area, Panthaki said. In Iran, where Zoroastrianism had millions of followers as the state religion under Persian rulers, beginning with Cyrus in the 6th century B.C., estimates range from 30,000 to 100,000. Zoroastrianism is small compared with other old religions - from 200,000 to 275,000 adherents worldwide, according to various sources. Zoroastrians adhere to principles that seem surprisingly modern for a religion many historians believe is 3,700 years old: stewardship of nature, the equality of men and women, an emphasis on reason as well as faith, morality based on individual choice rather than doctrine, flexible worship practices and the salvation of each person who does more good than evil in life. ![]() The ideal path is summarized in the Zoroastrian motto: Good Thoughts, Good Words and Good Deeds. The main idea in Zorastrianism is that "if you follow the path of truth, you really achieve all the attributes of God," said Jamshid Goshtasbi, a lifelong Zoroastrian and native of Iran who teaches engineering at Howard University. "That's what it means to 'have fire in the belly.' A man who has no spark is lazy." It represents "the spark in every human being," said Panthaki, a retired brigadier general in the Indian army who has volunteered his services since he immigrated here nine years ago.Įach person "has to ignite that spark and keep that fire burning," the priest said. Unlike religions that use fire or lights to displace darkness only at certain times, such as Christians do with candles and lights at Christmas or Easter, Zoroastrians light fires throughout the year in temples and homes, said Ervad Behram Panthaki, the association's priest.įire symbolizes not only the purity of light and the divine spirit. ![]() "We don't worship fire," several insisted, correcting a misconception that still pops up in news accounts of their faith. Zoroastrians honor fire and other elements - water, air and earth and the animal and vegetative kingdoms - but only, adherents say, as a means of communing with Ahura Mazda, the Supreme Creator and Wise Lord. ![]() "I can hope, can't I?" Pastakia responded.įire is a central symbol of Zoroastrianism, a monotheistic religion founded in Persia centuries before the Christian era in a region that is probably Iran. "That's not likely, given fire codes," Jimmy Dholoo, an engineer and association spokesman, told him. He added that he would like the temple to be the first in North America or Europe to have an eternal flame representing the ultimate victory of good over evil. "My hope is that one day, we will build not only the temple but be able to hire a priest and build a bungalow for him and his family," said Pastakia, a radiologist who emigrated from India nearly 20 years ago. But a recent ground-breaking ceremony was a huge step toward the reality, said association President Behram Pastakia. That day is still a ways off, perhaps a year or more until enough funds are raised. As soon as the bulldozers move in, they'll say, " 'My God, it's actually under construction,' " he said. Just the idea of having their own sanctuary has gotten the community excited, Shahryary said as he pointed this week to the empty field where the temple will be built. No more moving about from borrowed or rented spaces used for liturgical and educational functions, as they have done since they founded the Zoroastrian Association of Metropolitan Washington 24 years ago. The benefactor who purchased and donated the property for temple use said the entrance reminded him of cypress trees leading to an ancient fire temple in Shiraz, Iran, said Farhad Shahryary, who will oversee construction of the $3 million facility.Īt long last, more than 150 Zoroastrian families will have a permanent place for worship, religious education, initiation ceremonies, funerals and weddings, Shahryary said. Washington's small but growing Zoroastrian community will add to the area's array of international religious buildings with a Persian-style temple located beyond an alley of cedar trees just off Hunter Mill Road in Vienna. ![]()
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