Zarathushtra Spitama, also known as Zoroaster, was an Iranian religious leader who changed the beliefs of the ancient Iranian religion. He became the founder of Zoroastrianism, a major religion in ancient times. In the oldest Zoroastrian texts, the Gathas, which are believed to be his writings, he is described as a preacher and a poet-prophet. Some scholars suggest his ideas may have influenced later thinkers like Heraclitus, Plato, and Pythagoras, as well as Abrahamic religions such as Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, especially through ideas about good and evil and personal ethics.
Zoroaster spoke a language called Avestan, named after the religious texts written in it. Based on this, scholars think he may have lived in the eastern part of Greater Iran, possibly in an area called Bactra, which is now in Afghanistan. His life is traditionally dated to around the 7th and 6th centuries BC, but many scholars believe he lived even earlier, during the late 2nd or early 1st millennium BC.
Zoroastrianism became the most important religion in Greater Iran around the 6th century BC. It was officially supported during the Sassanid Empire but declined after the Arab-Muslim conquest of Iran in the 7th century AD. Zoroaster is believed to have written the Gathas and the Yasna Haptanghaiti, a group of hymns in Old Avestan that explain key Zoroastrian beliefs. However, little is known about his personal life, as most information comes from religious texts. Modern historians do not have enough evidence to place him in a specific time period, and some details about him may have been added later to turn myths into historical stories.
His name may mean "he who manages camels," though this is not certain. The Greek version of his name, "Zoroaster," comes from later writings. According to Zoroastrian tradition, he was trained as a priest and had a spiritual experience around age 30, which introduced him to Ahura Mazda, the Wise Lord, and the idea of truth (asha) versus falsehood (druj). He is said to have gained support from King Vishtaspa, shared his teachings, and started a religious community. He married three times and had six children. Zoroastrian texts describe his teachings as focusing on free will, ethical choices, and living in harmony with truth through good thoughts, words, and actions.
Name and etymology
Zoroaster’s name in his native language, Avestan, was likely Zaraθuštra. The name “Zoroaster” comes from a Greek version used in the 5th century BC, called Zōroastrēs (Ζωροάστρης), which appears in writings by Xanthus and Plato. This Greek form later influenced the Latin version Zōroastrēs and later Greek spellings like Ζωροάστρις, Zōroastris. The Greek version seems to have changed the Avestan zaraθ- into Greek ζωρός (zōros), meaning “undiluted,” and combined it with the BMAC root -uštra, which in Greek became ἄστρον (astron), meaning “star.”
In Avestan, Zaraθuštra is believed to come from an Old Iranian form Zaratuštra-. The second part of the name, -uštra-, is thought to relate to the Indo-Iranian word for “camel,” suggesting the name might mean “he who can manage camels.” Later forms in Middle Persian, such as Zardusht, found in Zoroastrian texts from the 9th to 12th centuries, suggest Zaratuštra- might be a simpler version of Zarantuštra-. Scholars debate whether the name originally came from Zarantuštra- or *Zaratuštra-.
If the original form was *Zarantuštra-, it might mean “with old camels,” linked to Old Iranian words like zarant- (similar to Pashto zōṛ and Ossetian zærond, meaning “old”), and Middle Persian zāl, also meaning “old.”
The Avestan spelling zaraθuštra includes the letter -θ- (pronounced /θ/), which has caused debate among scholars. Normally, the first part of the name, *zarat-, should have developed into Avestan zarat- or zarat̰-. The presence of -θ- instead is unusual, and its cause remains unclear. However, later writings confirm that zaraθuštra with -θ- was a real form.
In Middle Persian, the name was written as Zardu(x)št. In Parthian, it was Zarhušt. In Manichaean Middle Persian, it was Zrdrwšt. In Early New Persian, it was Zardušt, and in modern Persian, it is written as زرتشت (Zartosht).
Classical Armenian sources mention the name as Zradašt (sometimes Zradešt). Important records come from Armenian writers like Eznik of Kolb, Elishe, and Movses Khorenatsi. The Armenian spelling Zradašt likely came from an older form starting with zur-, which German scholar Friedrich Carl Andreas used to argue that the Middle Persian form was Zur(a)dušt. However, modern scholar Rüdiger Schmitt disagrees, suggesting the *zur- beginning was influenced by the Armenian word zur, meaning “wrong” or “unjust,” leading Armenians to reinterpret the name in a way that opposed Zoroastrian beliefs. Schmitt also notes that the Armenian version might have been a rearrangement of a Middle Persian or Parthian form like Zaradušt.
Date
There is no agreement among scholars about when Zoroaster lived. The Avesta, a religious text, does not provide clear information about his time. Historical records also disagree. Some scholars study the Proto-Indo-Iranian language and religion to estimate his date, while others use evidence from the texts themselves. Many believe Zoroaster lived around 1000 BC, but others think he could have lived between 1500 and 500 BC.
Ancient Greek scholars from the 6th to 4th century BC believed Zoroaster lived 6,000 years before Xerxes I invaded Greece in 480 BC. This idea may have confused the Zoroastrian belief in four 3,000-year cycles, totaling 12,000 years. Some sources suggest Zoroaster lived 600 years before Xerxes I, around 1000 BC. Others, like Hermodorus, claimed he lived 5,000 years before the Trojan War, which would place him around 6200 BC. The 10th-century text Suda says Zoroaster lived 500 years before the Trojan War. Pliny the Elder cited Eudoxus, who placed Zoroaster’s death 6,000 years before Plato, around 6300 BC. Some sources mention Zoroaster teaching Pythagoras in Babylon or living during the time of mythological figures like Ninus and Semiramis. Pliny the Elder also wrote about two Zoroasters: one from ancient times and another who supposedly lived with Xerxes I during his invasion of Greece. Some scholars think the timeline for Zoroaster was created by Persian priests in the 4th century BC. Early Greeks learned about Zoroaster from the Achaemenids and did not see him as a contemporary of Cyrus the Great but as a distant figure.
Later Zoroastrian and pseudo-historical sources, like the Bundahishn, place Zoroaster in the 6th century BC, referencing a date "258 years before Alexander the Great." After Alexander’s death, the Seleucid rulers used "the Age of Alexander" as a new calendar system. Zoroastrian priests disliked this and tried to create a calendar based on Zoroaster’s life. They calculated his time by counting generations backward, concluding he lived 258 years before Alexander. This estimate appeared in later Arabic and Pahlavi texts, such as Al-Masudi’s 10th-century writings, which mention a prophecy from a lost Avestan book predicting an empire’s destruction in 300 years but the religion lasting 1,000 years.
In Zoroastrian scriptures, King Yima (Jam) and the Pishdadian dynasty are said to have lived before Zoroaster taught his beliefs.
Modern scholars have two main views: one suggests Zoroaster lived in the 7th or 6th century BC, based on Zoroastrian tradition, while the other places his life earlier, between the 15th and 9th centuries BC. Some scholars propose dates like 650–600 BC or 559–522 BC, with the latest possible date being the mid-6th century BC, during the time of Darius I or his predecessor, Cyrus the Great. This theory connects Zoroastrian figures like Vishtaspa to historical people, such as Darius I’s father, also named Vishtaspa. However, this connection is debated, as the Avesta and Behistun Inscription do not mention Vishtaspa’s son becoming a ruler. It is also possible that Darius I’s father was named in honor of Zoroaster, indicating early Zoroastrian influence.
Scholars like Mary Boyce used linguistic and cultural evidence to place Zoroaster between 1500 and 1000 BC (or 1200–900 BC). This theory compares the Old Avestan language of the Gathas (Zoroastrian hymns) to Sanskrit in the Rigveda (a Vedic text from around 1700–1100 BC). Both texts share an ancient Indo-Iranian origin. The Gathas describe a society of warrior-herdsmen and priests, suggesting they were written close in time to the Rigveda. Scholars argue Zoroaster lived in an isolated tribe or composed the Gathas before the Iranian migration to the Iranian Plateau around 1200–1000 BC. However, this theory is debated because the Gathas’ archaic language does not necessarily prove a large time gap.
Some sources, like Silk Road Seattle, suggest Zoroaster may have lived in the 2nd millennium BC, based on interpretations of Victor H. Mair’s writings. Almut Hintze, the British Library, and the European Research Council also date Zoroaster to roughly 3,500 years ago, placing him in the 2nd millennium BC.
Place
The birthplace of Zoroaster is unknown, and the language of the Gathas is not similar to the suggested dialects in the north-west and north-east of Persia. Some sources suggest he was born in one of these areas and later lived in the other.
Yasna 9 and 17 mention the Ditya River in Airyanem Vaējah (Middle Persian Ērān Wēj) as Zoroaster’s home and the place of his first appearance. The Avesta (both Old and Younger parts) does not mention the Achaemenids or West Iranian tribes like the Medes, Persians, or Parthians. The Farvardin Yasht refers to some Iranian peoples not found in Greek or Achaemenid records from the 6th and 5th centuries BC in Eastern Iran. The Vendidad lists 17 regional names, most of which are in north-eastern and eastern Iran.
In Yasna 59.18, the zaraθuštrotema, or leader of the Zoroastrian priesthood, is said to live in "Ragha" (Badakhshan). Middle Persian texts from the 9th to 12th centuries describe "Ragha" and other places in Western Iran. While the Avesta does not mention Media (the westernmost location it notes is Arachosia), the Būndahišn places Ragha in Media (medieval Rai). In Avestan, "Ragha" is a word meaning "plain" or "hillside."
Besides these Middle Persian references, other sources exist. Greek and Latin texts disagree on Zoroaster’s birthplace. Ctesias placed him in Bactria, Diodorus Siculus in Ariaspai (Sistan), Cephalion and Justin in eastern Iran, while Pliny and Origen suggested western Iran. Some sources also propose there may have been more than one Zoroaster.
Post-Islamic sources, such as Shahrastani (1086–1153), an Iranian scholar from present-day Turkmenistan, claimed Zoroaster’s father was from Atropatene (Medea) and his mother from Rey. This idea challenged regions that claimed Zoroaster originated from their areas. Arabic sources from the same period also suggest Azerbaijan as his birthplace.
By the late 20th century, most scholars believed Zoroaster originated in eastern Greater Iran. Gnoli suggested Sistan and Baluchistan (in a broader sense than today’s province) as the homeland of Zoroastrianism. Frye supported Bactria and Chorasmia, while Khlopin proposed the Tedzen Delta in Turkmenistan. Sarianidi linked the Bactria–Margiana Archaeological Complex to Zoroaster’s origins. Boyce included the steppes west of the Volga. The medieval idea that Zoroaster came from Media is no longer widely accepted. Some, like Zaehner, suggested this belief may have been influenced by the Magi to gain legitimacy, but others, such as Gershevitch, rejected this idea.
A 2005 Encyclopedia Iranica article on Zoroastrianism history states that while scholars agree Zoroaster did not live in western Iran, efforts to pinpoint his birthplace in specific eastern Iranian regions, including Central Asia, remain uncertain.
Life
Zoroaster is recorded as the son of Pourushaspa from the Spitama family and Dugdōw, with his great-grandfather being Haēčataspa. All these names fit the traditions of people who move from place to place. His father’s name means "possessing gray horses" (aspa means "horse"), and his mother’s name means "milkmaid." According to tradition, Zoroaster had four brothers—two older and two younger—whose names are mentioned in later Pahlavi writings.
Zoroaster likely began training to become a priest at about seven years old. He probably became a priest at 15 and, according to the Gathas, learned from other teachers and gained knowledge through travel after leaving his parents at age 20. By age 30, Zoroaster had a spiritual experience during a spring festival. On the riverbank, he saw a shining being who identified himself as Vohu Manah (Good Purpose) and taught him about Ahura Mazda (Wise Lord) and five other radiant figures. Zoroaster then learned about two opposing spirits: Ahura Mazda, who represents order (Asha), and Angra Mainyu (Destructive Spirit), who represents deception (Druj). He chose to spend his life teaching people to seek Asha. He later received more revelations, saw a vision of the seven Amesha Spenta, and his teachings were recorded in the Gathas and the Avesta.
At about 42 years old, Zoroaster gained the support of Queen Hutaosa and a ruler named Vishtaspa, an early follower of Zoroastrianism (possibly from Bactria, as described in the Shahnameh).
According to tradition, Zoroaster lived many years after Vishtaspa’s conversion, built a loyal community, and married three times. His first two wives had three sons—Isat Vâstra, Urvatat Nara, and Hvare Chithra—and three daughters—Freni, Thriti, and Pouruchista. His third wife, Hvōvi, did not have children. Zoroaster died at 77 years and 40 days old. Different traditions describe his death. One says he was killed by a karapan (priest of the old religion) named Brādrēs while performing at an altar. Other sources, like the Dēnkart and the Shahnameh, say he was killed by a Turanian soldier named Baraturish. Some traditions combine these accounts or suggest he died of old age.
The Cypress of Kashmar is a legendary cypress tree known for its beauty and enormous size. It is said to have grown from a branch brought by Zoroaster from Paradise and was planted in Kashmar, northeastern Iran, to honor King Vishtaspa’s conversion to Zoroastrianism. According to Zakariya al-Qazwini, an Iranian physicist and historian, King Vishtaspa supported Zoroaster and planted the tree himself. In his book ʿAjā'ib al-makhlūqāt wa gharā'ib al-mawjūdāt (The Wonders of Creatures and the Marvels of Creation), al-Qazwini describes how the Abbasid caliph Al-Mutawakkil ordered the tree to be cut down in 861 AD and transported to Samarra to be used as beams in his palace. Before this, Al-Mutawakkil wanted the tree to be rebuilt before his eyes, despite protests from Iranians who offered a large sum to save it. However, Al-Mutawakkil was killed by a Turkic soldier (possibly working for his son) on the night the tree arrived at the Tigris River.
Influences
Athanasius Kircher believed Zoroaster was the same person as Ham. Joachim Bouvet, a French missionary to China, thought Zoroaster, the Chinese hero Fuxi, and Hermes Trismegistus were the same as the Biblical figure Enoch. Some legends also link Baruch to Zoroaster.
The Encyclopædia Iranica states that stories about Zoroaster’s life were influenced by Christian and Jewish traditions, but most later stories came from Islamic sources after Muslims entered Persia. This was done by Zoroastrian religious leaders to protect their faith.
Arthur Christensen, in his book Iran During the Sassanid Era, wrote that records from the Sasanian Empire in ancient Persia about Zoroastrian beliefs differ from later sources, like the Pahlavi texts. This change happened because after the Sasanian Empire fell, Zoroastrian priests tried to save their religion by making it more similar to Islam to keep followers.
Gherardo Gnoli noted that the Islamic conquest of Persia greatly affected Zoroastrian beliefs. After the conquest, many Zoroastrians moved to India. There, they were exposed to Islamic and Christian ideas and began to reject the belief in two opposing forces (dualism), choosing instead to see themselves as followers of one god (monotheism). Over time, this key feature of Zoroastrianism faded from modern practices.
Maneckji Nusserwanji Dhalla described the Gayomarthians, a Zoroastrian sect, as an attempt to reduce the importance of dualism. This was partly because Prophet Muhammad emphasized monotheism, and Muslims mocked the idea of worshipping two gods. To address this, some Zoroastrians weakened the role of Ahriman (the evil force) in their beliefs. For example, some texts claimed Ahriman was not eternal or that Ahura Mazda (the good force) allowed evil to exist. One 15th-century Persian book even said Zoroastrians believed Allah and Iblis (Satan) were brothers.
This explains why some similarities exist between Zoroastrianism and Islam. For example, the Zoroastrian Amesha Spenta is compared to the Islamic archangel Gabriel. Both religions also involve praying five times daily and covering the head during prayer. The Quran mentions Thamud and Iram of the Pillars, which some scholars link to Zoroastrian traditions.
The Sabians, a group that believed in free will (like Zoroastrians), are also mentioned in the Quran (22:17).
Like the ancient Greeks, Islamic tradition sees Zoroaster as the founder of the Magians (a term related to Zoroastrianism). Ibn Hazm, an 11th-century scholar, argued that Zoroastrians could not be called "followers of the Scripture" because their holy books were destroyed by Alexander the Great. Al-Tabari, a 9th-century historian, wrote that Zaradusht bin Isfiman (a name for Zoroaster) was a servant of a disciple of the prophet Jeremiah. According to this story, Zaradusht betrayed his master, who cursed him and caused him to become leprous. Later, Zoroaster moved to modern-day Azerbaijan, where he converted the ruler Bashtaasib (Vishtaspa) to Zoroastrianism. Bashtaasib then forced Persians to follow Zoroastrianism and killed those who refused.
Ibn Kathir, a 14th-century scholar, said the story of Zoroaster’s leprosy and exile came from Tabari’s History of Jerusalem. He also noted that "Zoroastrian" and "Majus" were used interchangeably.
Sibt ibn al-Jawzi, another scholar, mentioned that some older stories claimed Zoroaster was once a student of Uzair (a figure in Islamic tradition).
Al-Tabari also wrote that Zaradusht (Zoroaster) traveled with a Jewish prophet to Bishtasb (Vishtaspa). There, Zaradusht translated the prophet’s teachings for the king, convincing him to adopt Zoroastrianism.
Al-Shahrastani, a 12th-century scholar, divided the Zoroastrian community into three groups: the Kayumarthiya, the Zurwaniya, and the Zaradushtiya. He claimed only the Zaradushtiya were true followers of Zoroaster. Zoroaster taught that a true prophet could reveal hidden truths and perform miracles.
The Ahmadiyya Community views Zoroaster as a prophet. They believe the Zoroastrian idea of Ahura Mazda (good) and Ahriman (evil) represents the balance of good and evil, allowing humans to make moral choices.
Manichaeism, a religious movement, saw Zoroaster as part of a line of prophets that included Mani (its founder). Manichaeism shared Zoroastrian ideas about good and evil but also included other elements not found in Zoroastrianism.
In the Bahá'í Faith, Zoroaster is considered a "Manifestation of God," a spiritual teacher who revealed divine truths to humanity. This includes figures like Abraham, Moses, Jesus, Muhammad, and Bahá'u'lláh, the founder of the Bahá'í Faith. Shoghi Effendi, a leader of the Bahá'í Faith, said Zoroaster lived about 1,000 years before Jesus and believed Bahá'u'lláh fulfilled a Zoroastrian prophecy about the return of the Sassanid emperor Bahram.
Philosophy
In the Gathas, Zoroaster describes the human experience as a mental battle between two forces: aša and druj. Aša is a central and complex idea in Zoroastrian belief, forming the basis of all teachings. It is linked to Ahura Mazda (the god of wisdom), creation, existence, and the ability of humans to make choices.
The goal of humans, like all living things, is to support and follow aša. This happens through ethical actions, participation in rituals, and by practicing good thoughts, words, and deeds.
Zoroastrian ideas influenced early Western religions, including Judaism and Platonism, and are seen as important in the history of philosophy. Some Greek philosophers, like Heraclitus, are believed to have been inspired by Zoroaster’s teachings.
In 2005, the Oxford Dictionary of Philosophy listed Zoroaster as the first philosopher in history. His influence continues today because of the religious ethical system he created, called Mazdayasna. This term, from the Avestan language, means "Worship of Wisdom." The Roman writer Pliny noted that Zoroastrians later taught the Greeks, who began using the word "philosophy," meaning "love of wisdom," to describe the search for truth.
Zoroaster taught that individuals have the freedom to choose between right and wrong and are responsible for their actions. Choosing to follow aša and avoid druj is a personal decision, not something forced by Ahura Mazda. By thinking, speaking, and acting with kindness—such as helping others, performing good rituals, or doing kind deeds—people support aša, honor the divine order, and move closer to Frashokereti, the eventual perfect state of the world.
Iconography
Starting in the nineteenth century, Zoroaster was shown in pictures with physical features taken from other religious traditions. He is usually not shown looking directly at the viewer; instead, he looks slightly upward, as if praying. He is almost always shown with a beard and other traits similar to 19th-century portraits of Jesus.
A Sassanid-era rock-face carving at Taq-e Bostan shows a figure holding a staff, wearing a halo, standing on a lotus, and watching the crowning ceremony of either Ardashir I or II. This figure was once thought to be Zoroaster but is now known to be Mithra. This mistaken belief led to a popular 19th-century painting of the prophet, which influenced how Zoroaster is shown in many modern images.
Western references to Zoroaster and Zoroastrianism
The Greeks, during the Hellenistic period, viewed Zoroaster as described by writers like Plutarch, Diogenes Laertius, and Agathias. They saw him as the "prophet and founder of the religion of the Iranian peoples." However, other details about him were mostly imagined. Zoroaster was believed to have lived thousands of years before the Common Era, around six to seven thousand years ago. Some sources described him as a king of Bactria or a Babylonian teacher, and his life story followed a pattern common to wise teachers of the time, including a period of spiritual preparation before his mission.
Plutarch first mentioned Zoroaster in a work called Moralia, but he referred to him as "Zaratras," not realizing this was the same person. He described Zoroaster as a teacher of Pythagoras. Some ancient writers also claimed Zoroaster was a sorcerer and the creator of magic and astrology. Many writings attributed to him spread across the Mediterranean world from the 3rd century BC until the end of ancient times. These writings were mostly in Greek, but some parts were translated into Aramaic, Syriac, Coptic, or Latin.
The ideas in these texts were influenced by Hellenistic culture, which was the Greek way of life in the ancient world. People often gave these writings to famous names like Zoroaster or the magi to make them seem more important or wise. Zoroaster and the magi did not write them, but their names were used to support the ideas.
One of the texts attributed to Zoroaster was a work called On Nature (Peri physeos), which was originally four volumes long. Scholars call this and other similar texts "Zoroastrian pseudepigrapha," meaning they were falsely claimed to be written by Zoroaster during the Greco-Roman era.
Pliny the Elder, a Roman writer, said Zoroaster invented magic. However, later writers often gave credit for introducing magic to the Greek and Roman worlds to another figure named Ostanes. Most of the magical writings attributed to Zoroaster were actually written much later, with the earliest example from the 14th century.
Zoroaster’s connection to astrology was linked to his Babylonian origins. His Greek name was first associated with star-worship by Diogenes Laertius. The first part of his name, "Zōo-," was linked to the Greek word for "living" star. His other Greek names included Zaratras or Zaratas/Zaradas/Zaratos. Some Greek writers claimed that mathematicians studied with Zoroaster in Babylon. Others, like Lydus, said Zoroaster helped create the seven-day week because there are seven planets. A writer named Lucian of Samosata said he planned to visit Babylon to ask a disciple of Zoroaster for advice.
While some sources divide Zoroaster’s works into astrology and Ostanes’ into magic, this is an overgeneralization. These texts were not based on real Zoroastrian beliefs, nor did they reflect what the Greeks and Romans thought Zoroastrianism was. The writings attributed to Zoroaster and others show little similarity in ideas or style.
Most of the texts falsely attributed to Zoroaster are now lost, with only fragments remaining. Pliny mentioned that Zoroaster had "two million lines" of writing, suggesting a large collection of texts once existed at the Library of Alexandria. This collection was likely made up of fake works because no earlier sources mention writings by Zoroaster, and it was common for royal libraries to collect faked manuscripts of famous ancient authors.
One exception to the lost texts is a complete Coptic work titled Zostrianos, discovered in the Nag Hammadi library in 1945. The text claims to be "words of truth" from Zoroaster, but it shares more similarities with Gnostic writings than Zoroastrian ones.
Another text attributed to Zoroaster was Asteroskopita (or Apotelesmatika), a five-volume astrological handbook. A third text, On Virtue of Stones (Peri lithon timion), was said to be written in verse, though little else is known about it. Other fragments of writings attributed to Zoroaster exist in the works of other authors, but their titles are not recorded.
Some writers used real Zoroastrian ideas in their works. For example, the Oracles of Hystaspes, attributed to another figure named Hystaspes, included prophecies based on actual Zoroastrian sources. Pliny also wrote that Zoroaster laughed on the day of his birth and that his head pulsed strongly, signs of his future wisdom. Plutarch described Zoroaster’s belief in two opposing forces, calling them "Horomazes" and "Areimanius."
An early mention of Zoroaster in English literature appears in the 1643 work Religio Medici by Sir Thomas Browne, who wrote: "I believe, besides Zoroaster, there were divers that writ before Moses, who notwithstanding have suffered the common fate of time."
In the 1819 novel Klein Zaches, genannt Zinnober by E. T. A. Hoffmann, a character named Prosper Alpanus claims Zoroaster was his teacher. In Thus Spoke Zarathustra (1885), philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche used the name "Zarathustra" for his main character, a choice he explained in his book Ecce Homo.
Notable influence on modern Western culture
A sculpture of Zoroaster, created by Edward Clark Potter in 1896, stands tall above the Appellate Division Courthouse of New York State at East 25th Street and Madison Avenue in Manhattan. This same sculpture is part of a group of important religious figures in a procession on the south side of Rockefeller Memorial Chapel at the University of Chicago. The procession includes figures from Abraham to the Reformation, showing a timeline of religious history that includes Zoroaster, Moses, Plato, and others.