Zoroastrianism in the UK
In his latest encounter with people of other faiths, Anthony MacIsaac gives some insight into the little known faith of Zoroastrianism.
Although a relatively small religious group they have a long history and tradition beginning in ancient Persia but now found in many parts of the world.
An often-overlooked world religion, and yet one of the most significant, is found with the faith of Zoroastrianism. Its symbol – the Faravahar – is present on the logo for the Bishops’ Conference of Scotland Committee for Interreligious Dialogue. Yet, there seems to be limited contact with the British community of Zoroastrians, and there is a sense that most people are unaware of their existence. This might be simply because there are extremely few of them in Scotland, but it seems important that people do become aware of them, and that more dialogue might come in the future. What follows is a very brief synopsis of the religion, and of recent events in the UK.
Practitioners of this faith are often known as Parsis, since the religion was present in ancient Persia, before spreading more widely. Cyrus the Great might be counted as a celebrated example of an early Zoroastrian. However, the religion seems to have first been initiated by Zarathushtra, whose background and historical context are frustratingly difficult to situate. His teachings were transmitted orally, from generation to generation, until they were codified in their Holy scriptures known as the Avesta.
It is noteworthy here that official texts on interreligious dialogue, published by the Vatican, allude to the Avesta as one of the most significant non-Biblical religious texts. Many Zoroastrians in summarise their faith as promoting “Good Thoughts, Good Words, Good Deeds”. This isn’t at all inaccurate, yet there is also a very deep theology within Zoroastrianism, that describes the spiritual world alongside the material creation, on which the stage is set for a struggle between good and evil. In the end, good wins out. They believe that by following the teachings of Zoroastrianism, and by properly attending to its rituals, they can participate to some extent in that victory.
Some researchers consider Zoroastrianism to be the oldest extant monotheism in the world, and others would even claim that it is the oldest world religion today. There are only some 100,000 Zoroastrians worldwide, although precise estimates vary. This means that it is centred on only a few specific locations. Iran remains the historical centre, but India has carried forward the religion in earnest, and there are many fire temples around Mumbai, and elsewhere.
Udvada holds the most sacred fire in India, which has burned continually for well over 1000 years. The fire is considered an integral part of Zoroastrian ritual, in which offerings and prayers are made to God or to different good spirits. In this way, the ordinary Zoroastrian can be placed in direct contact with the supreme God, Ahura Mazda, and with his good associates (these include the seven Amesha Spentas, and the very numerous Yazatas).
Over time, the Zoroastrian community established itself in countries such as the United Kingdom, Australia, and the U.S.A. The British community, centred on London, now acts a focal point for the entire European contingent of Zoroastrianism – surely a great privilege for the United Kingdom.
The Zoroastrian Trust Funds for Europe (ZTFE) have established a centre near Rayners Lane, which was formerly an old cinema. Over the years there have been a number of distinguished Christian visitors to the centre. Among them, Cardinal Vincent Nichols, head of the Catholic community and the former Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams. So, the centre is certainly on the map.
Among the various rituals that are performed withing that setting, the greatest ritual is the Jashan, since there are no fully consecrated temples outside of India and Iran. There are also initiation ceremonies, known as Navjotes. Private prayer has an important place within Zoroastrianism, and there is a special area of the centre where a semi-consecrated fire is kept burning during the daylight hours, but not perpetually. Upon entering this room, visitors wash their hands and remove their shoes. Many will offer some sandalwood to the fire, not directly, but by placing the wood on a table nearby where the mowbed (priest) will take it into the fire.
On the 21st March 2025, the community celebrated the festival of NowRuz, otherwise known as the Persian New Year. This drew in a few hundred people to the centre, and there was a friendly and joyful atmosphere. For some, it was the only time during the year in which they could participate more fully in the Zoroastrian Centre – simply because many live outside London. Different members of the community were generous with their time, helping visitors, and introducing some of the key elements of the faith.
Later in the year, the SOAS University of London (in conjunction with the ZTFE) organised the 5th Zoroastrianism Summer School. This was an excellent opportunity to learn about the religion first-hand, from leading researchers in the field, but also from one another. We were very fortunate to have had two mowbeds with us on the course, and around half of the cohort were practicing Zoroastrians. The course ended with most of us hoping to engage further with the religion, to learn more, and to deepen our own awareness of its significance.