Episode 1485
Mysteries of Isis
Sat, 2021-May-29 00:54 UTC
Length - 3:12
Direct Link
Welcome to featured Wiki of the Day where we read the summary of the featured Wikipedia article every day.
The featured article for Saturday, 29 May 2021 is Mysteries of Isis.
The mysteries of Isis were religious initiation rites performed in the cult of the goddess Isis in the Greco-Roman world. They were modeled on other mystery rites, particularly the Eleusinian mysteries in honor of the Greek goddess Demeter, and originated sometime between the third century BCE and the second century CE. The mysteries alluded to beliefs from ancient Egyptian religion, in which the worship of Isis arose. By undergoing the mystery rites, initiates signaled their dedication to Isis, although they were not required to worship her exclusively. The rites may have been thought to guarantee that the initiate's soul, with the goddess's help, would continue after death into a blissful afterlife. Although Isis was worshipped across the Greco-Roman world, the mystery rites may only have been practiced in a few regions, such as Italy and Greece. In areas where they were practiced, they served to strengthen devotees' commitment to the Isis cult, and devotees may have risen in the cult's hierarchy by undergoing initiation.
Many texts from the Roman Empire refer to the Isis mysteries, but the only source to describe them is a work of fiction, the novel The Golden Ass, written in the second century CE by Apuleius. In it, the initiate undergoes elaborate ritual purification before descending into the innermost part of Isis's temple, where he experiences a symbolic death and rebirth and has an intense religious experience, seeing the gods in person. Some aspects of the mysteries of Isis and of other mystery cults, particularly their connection with the afterlife, resemble important elements of Christianity. The question of whether they influenced Christianity is controversial and the evidence is unclear; some scholars today attribute the similarities to a shared cultural background rather than direct influence. In contrast, Apuleius's account has had direct effects in modern times. Through his description, the mysteries of Isis have influenced many works of fiction and modern fraternal organizations, as well as a widespread belief that the ancient Egyptians themselves had an elaborate system of mystery initiations.
This recording reflects the Wikipedia text as of 00:54 UTC on Saturday, 29 May 2021.
For the full current version of the article, see Mysteries of Isis on Wikipedia.
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This has been Brian Standard. Thank you for listening to featured Wiki of the Day.
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