### id283953926 initiation rites create strong social bonds > A prospective Mithraic initiate would need to have complete faith in his fellow Mithras worshippers, as he would be stripped naked, bound, and have perhaps a sword, a bow and arrow, or a torch waved in front of his face.100 Prospective members would be completely at the mercy of the congregation and could only pass the initiation by placing their trust in those around them. Particularly in a military community, membership in a Mithraic congregation provided another social bond among soldiers who already spent much time eating, sleeping, training, and fighting beside one another. It is not difficult to see how a group of soldiers who attended a local Mithraeum might band together to pay for its refurbishment while their enthusiasm to support other religious buildings waned. - [View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01fvbb8tkt1g0v92swfab6cwq2) - [[Military Communities and Temple Patronage by David Walsh#id283953926 initiation rites create strong social bonds|View in Vault]]