Synonyms: telete or orgia (orgy)

2. Any secret cult or ritual of initiation

3. Reveals or mysterious divine wisdom available only to a select few.

Mysteriosophy

association of mysterium and sophia
association of religion and philosophy

Phenomenology of Mysteries
arcane cults and rituals
"things done, things said, things shown"

Some Theories of Mysteries
dying and rising divinities ((Wilhelm Mannhardt)
nature-myth theory of fertility/vegetation
resurrection
rites of passage (Mircea Eliade)
ritual of early food cultivators (Adolf E. Jensen)
concept of "slain god"
Death or sacrifice of female divinity who was source of cultivated vegetation.

Greek Mysteries:
Eleusinian Mysteries (Demeter)
Dionysian Mysteries
Orphic Mysteries

Oriental (Eastern) Mysteries:
Cult of Cybele (Phrygia)
Cult of Isis (Egypt)
Cult of Sarapis (Egypt)
Cult of Mithras (Persia)

This material has been published on the web by Prof. Tom Sienkewicz for his students at Monmouth College. If you have any questions, you can contact him at toms@monm.edu.

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