Tim Connell is never one to miss an opportunity to organise a Gresham Society visit to a newly opened historic site; this visit to the London Mithraeum was no exception.
The London Mithraeum is one of the most substantial archaeological finds relating to Roman Britain. It was found on Walbrook soon after the Second World War and was moved away from its original site, bang slap in the middle of the City of London, to allow construction, including a permanent home for the relic more or less where it was originally located.
The building is now the Bloomberg Space, with the London Mithraeum in the basement. It opened to the public in November 2017. Anyone can visit this fascinating site and it is free of charge – but it is wise to book to ensure that you get your chosen time/date.
Click here for a link to the London Mithraeum/Bloomberg Space website – including how to book.
Below is an excellent explanatory vid:
Enough of all that generic stuff. Here’s what happened on the Gresham Society visit.
About 25 of us gathered, which made for a pleasant gathering of the clan to add to the joys of seeing the relic. When I say “gathering of the clan”, I of course mean The Gresham Society clan and not followers of Mithras. No, no, no…
…although, when we were in the viewing gallery of the temple itself, enjoying the Bloomberg Space multi-sensory experience, I asked a couple of people whether they were starting to believe in the mysteries of Mithras?
Professor Cox answered, “not yet”…
…while Barbara Anderson replied, “not telling”.
So I detect some signs of hope for a Mithras revival.
Professor Connell mused that there must have been music involved in the initiation rites, at which point I offered to go home and get my baroq-ulele, but Tim very kindly implored me to stay, saying that he didn’t want me to miss any of the tour, which was so very thoughtful of him.
But Tim’s thought about the music for the initiation rites did get me thinking.
Anyway, after the tour, most of the party removed to a nearby hostelry for some suitable libations. I must leave it to others to report on that vital aspect of the outing, as I needed to return to Z/Yen Central to finish off some work that day.
But once I had finished work the next day, I started some in depth research into the musical side of the initiation rites of Mithraism.
It seems that the most terrifying initiation rite of them all was a requirement for the initiate to sing the Mithras Initiation Song, without hesitation, repetition, deviation or preparation.
We’re talking “one take” here.
Anyway, I did indeed manage to find some fragments of Mithraic music and text, which enabled me to translate the arcane Latin words of the Mithras Initiation Song into comprehensible English and modulate the rather dull, plain tune from the Hypolydian mode into something a little more familiar to the modern ear.
It is said that this particular initiation rite was actually more terrifying for the observers than it was for the initiate. I’ll let you, dear reader, be the judge of that.
For the Gresham academics, I would like to explain far more about my multifarious sources and the enormous trove of truly wonderful original materials about Mithraism I have uncovered.
Unfortunately, however, I realised, once I had performed the initiation song, that I have inadvertently initiated myself into the cult of Mithras at the very highest level…
…and that only initiates may be privy to the relics of the Mysteries of Mithras that I have uncovered.
Naturally, scholars who are keen enough to know about my sources may apply for initiation by singing the Mithras Initiation Song. The English language lyrics are set out below.
Mithras Initiation Song
Look at me,
I’m as cryptic as a Roman Mystery;
As I join in initiation rites,
I can’t understand,
I get Mithras,
And I’m joining that band.
Mask my eyes,
And a thousand stars appear to fill the skies,
Or it might be the sound of slaughtering bulls,
That music I hear,
I get Mithras,
My joining is near.
Can’t you see that you’re leading me in,
But that’s just what I want you to do;
Don’t you notice how much I need that faith,
That’s why I’m following you…(and you know that it’s true).
On my own,
I would wander through Londinium alone;
Never knowing my Persian from my proto Christianity,
I get Mithras, and Mithras has me;
Yes Mithras, is the one god for me.