Manichaeism

Wings Fire Angel Fantasy wing dragon devil

Devil Explained

Devil Explained This article explains Devil (Greek diabolos; Latin diabolus) in detail. The name commonly given to the fallen angels, who are also known as demons (see DEMONOLOGY). With the article (ho) it denotes Lucifer, their chief, as in Matthew 25:41, “the Devil and his angels“. It may be said of this name, as St. Gregory says of the word angel, “nomen est...

The four primary prophets of Manichaeism in the Manichaean Diagram of the Universe, from left to right: Mani, Zoroaster, Buddha and Jesus. — Stated in Zsuzsanna Gulácsi’s Mani’s Pictures: The Didactic Images of the Manichaeans from Sasanian Mesopotamia to Uygur Central Asia and Tang-Ming China, p. 368.

Mani

Mani (prophet) Mani (Māni, مانی: Māni, 摩尼: Móní, Mānī, Μάνης, Manes, Μανιχαῖος, Manichaeus, Mānī ḥayyā “Living Mani”, c. April AD 216–2 March AD 274 or 26 February AD 277) was an Iranian prophet and the founder of Manichaeism, a religion of late antiquity strongly influenced by Gnosticism, Christianity, Zoroastrianism, and Buddhism, which was once widespread but is no longer prevalent by name. Mani was...

The spread of Manichaeism (300–500). World History Atlas, Dorling Kindersly.

Manichaeism

Manichaeism Manichaeism is an extinct dualistic religion of Iranian origin, founded in the third century C.E. by the Prophet Mani (c. 216-274 C.E.). Originating in Babylon (a province of Persia at the time), Manichaeism once flourished in the ancient world. At its height, the religion claimed followers from North Africa to China. Theologically, Manichaeism is a dualistic religion that postulated an ongoing struggle between the...

The fire temple of Baku, c. 1860

Zoroastrianism

Zoroastrianism Zoroastrianism, or Mazdayasna, is one of the world’s oldest religions that remains active. It is a monotheistic faith (i.e. a single creator God), centered in a dualistic cosmology of good and evil and an eschatology predicting the ultimate destruction of evil. Ascribed to the teachings of the Iranian-speaking prophet Zoroaster (also known as Zarathustra), it exalts a deity of wisdom, Ahura Mazda (Wise...

Iran Mountains Architecture Landscape Settlement

Iranian Religions

Iranian Religions Iranian religions are religions which originated in Greater Iran. Background The beliefs, activities, and cultural events of the ancient Iranians in ancient Iran are complex matters. The ancient Iranians made references to a combination of several Aryans and non-Aryan tribes. Aryans, or ancient Iranians, worshiped natural elements such as the sun, sunlight and thunder, but they eventually shifted...

Zarathushtra or Zoroaster

Zarathushtra, Mani, And The Cathars

Zarathushtra, Mani, And The Cathars This article covers philosophers Zarathushtra, Mani, and The Cathars. The word that wounds is this: When a man speaks a word for the sake of the killing of a man or the killing of beasts or the killing of trees and the “Cross of Light,”...

Portrait of the Zoroastrian prophet Zarathustra

Zoroaster

Who is Zoroaster? Zoroaster also known as Zarathustra (Zarathushtra Spitama or Ashu Zarathushtra, زرتشت‎) was an ancient Iranian spiritual leader who founded what is now known as Zoroastrianism. His teachings challenged the existing traditions of the Indo-Iranian religion and inaugurated a movement that eventually became the dominant religion in Ancient Persia. He was...

tranquility, peaceful scenery

Divine Light

Divine Light In theology, divine light (also called divine radiance or divine refulgence) is an aspect of divine presence, specifically an unknown and mysterious ability of God, angels, or human beings to express themselves communicatively through spiritual means, rather than through physical capacities. Spirituality The term light has been used in spirituality (vision, enlightenment, darshan, Tabor Light). Bible...

Bas-relief: Nemesis, al-Lat and the dedicator. Palmyrene, 2nd-3rd century AD.

Religion In Pre-Islamic Arabia

Religion In Pre-Islamic Arabia Religion in Pre-Islamic Arabia included polytheism, Christianity, Judaism, and Iranian religions. Arabian polytheism, the dominant form of religion in pre-Islamic Arabia, was based on the veneration of deities and spirits. Worship was directed to various gods and goddesses, including Hubal and the goddesses al-Lāt, Al-‘Uzzá, and Manāt,...

Augustine of Hippo was once a Manichaean.

Prince of Darkness (Manichaeism)

Prince Of Darkness (Manichaeism) Manichaean cosmology, the world of darkness, which invaded the world of light in a lustful desire to mingle with the light, is ruled by five evil Archons(demon, dragon, eagle, fish and lion), who together make up the Prince of Darkness. The Father of greatness parries the assault by evoking a number of entities, who sacrifice themselves...