Web worship

March 21, 2014 witnessed "the official grand opening of the Zoroastrian Temple of Benevolent Light,” the first interactive online Zoroastrian fire temple. Open to people of any class, race, creed or gender, this universal temple is meant to be regarded "as your spiritual home on the web,” reminded the website www.zoroastrian-fire-temple.com
Neither resembling a fire temple familiar to Zoroastrians in India nor reminiscent of any priest, this online temple is meant to "work for shut-ins and all those, of any and all paths who are not able to congregate for whatever reasons,” as noted an announcement by Florida resident Ronald (Ron) Delavega who, having been initiated into Zoroastrianism by Ali Jafarey, masterminds the sister website www.zoroastrianism.cc. Delavega gives credit to Rudolph Draaisma, the web master who "is not even a Zoroastrian yet” for creating this "painstaking work of art... pro bono.” The online fire temple mentions that this is a "project by Maryam Khondy.”
"This is a temple of your minds and hearts. It is not built with hands...Join us on a spiritual walk... Experience the living creator in you... Strive, contemplate, meditate, pray... Live a life of righteousness. Our doors will always be open for you,” it was reinforced in the welcome address delivered on Navroz by Delavega.

The opening page gives a choice of 10 sheets of prayers. They bear the English translation of Ashem Vohu, Yatha Ahu Vairyo, I am thy Praiser, The Fravarti Prayer, May we unite in strength, Oh Creator Supreme, To Thee I pray, The Airyema Prayer. "Grant me, oh fire, a creation of Ahura Mazda, everlasting complete truthfulness... the art of the right word,” reads one of the prayers. The visitor is also given the choice of lighting candles in the temple by clicking on a flame with the mouse and dragging it to the candles.
The entrance ceremony as seen on this cyber fire temple, shows a lady walking in with two lamps in either hand, followed by accompanists playing the trumpet and the daf (drum). The option of visiting the meeting room permits you to join the congregationists, write your name on the back of a seat and "enjoy a view of God’s creation.” Currently functioning as an English portal they soon hope to start Spanish and Portuguese versions online and are also looking for volunteers to translate and acquire articles in Persian, Hindi, Russian and Chinese, as notes the communiqué by Ron.

Options offered by online Zoroastrian Temple

The purpose of this online fire temple has been further explained: "Besides increasing the web exposure of the spiritual teaching of the saviors (what the West calls Zoroastrianism), through this Temple a truly worldwide data base will be created that can have innumerable uses for the growth and publicity of this path of love’s good thinking. Foremost among these benefits, this Temple will be contributing to the start of local congregations in any spot of the world. I expect all my dear friends to please visit the temple often, offer comments and critiques and above all...in all groups you are associated with please post links to the temple often.”
The section on symbolics has no reference to traditional vestments like sudreh and kusti but "a stylized version of the traditional ‘fravahar’...The winged Zasha (with a Z in the center) is our symbol for Restored Zoroastrianism, the spiritual teachings... as originally taught by Zarathushtra and preserved over the millennia in the songs of the Gathas.”