text: who was mithra? and what is his connection to jesus christ? mithra was an ancient persian god, who became a major deity of zoroastrianism. he is cognate with the hindu god mitra.  the persian mithra apparently was the prototype for the roman god mithras, which became the object of a popular mystery religion in the roman empire; see mithraism.  the apollo asteroid 4486 mithra was named after this persian god.