The Ritualization of Myth in Ancient Mystery Religions: Toward a Better Understanding of Christian Liturgy

Abstract

The article presents the relationship between myth and ritual; the relation which appears in virtually every culture known to us, such as the culture of literate Greek and Roman societies and in the oral tradition of illiterate primitive communities.

This close relationship also takes place in Christianity, where the comparison of Christianity to other religions can be made only taking into consideration formal analogies and rejecting any form of syncretism or pantheism, with full awareness of all ontic and historico-salvific differences between Christianity and other religions and beliefs.

Using the exclusively formal analogy to the mysterious rituals and bearing in mind the fundamental difference, (in terms of essence and substance), between monotheism (Christianity in particular) and all other religions and beliefs, we can conclude that Christian liturgy is also a ritual action, entering the Mystery and participation in the Mystery of Christ (per analogiam, the participation in the Myth of Christ, in the most positive sense of the word) and the actualization of this Mystery through celebration.

In this context, ancient mystery religions become a “key” to understand the essence of the Christian liturgy in every generation of Christ’s followers.