section_path: In religion
section_name: In religion
paragraph_text: In religion
  
  Salt has long held an important place in religion and culture. At the time of Brahmanic sacrifices, in Hittite rituals and during festivals held by Semites and Greeks at the time of the new moon, salt was thrown into a fire where it produced crackling noises. The ancient Egyptians, Greeks and Romans invoked their gods with offerings of salt and water and some people think this to be the origin of Holy Water in the Christian faith.
  
  In the Bible, there are multiple mentions of salt, both of the mineral itself and as a metaphor. Uses in the Hebrew Bible include the tale of how Lot's wife is turned into a pillar of salt when looking back at the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah as they are destroyed. The judge Abimelech is described as salting the earth after the destruction of the city of Shechem, probably as a curse on anyone who would re-inhabit it. The Book of Job mentions salt as a condiment. "Can that which is unsavoury be eaten without salt? or is there any taste in the white of an egg?". In the New Testament, Jesus refers to his followers as the " salt of the earth ".
  
  Mesoamerica
  
  In Aztec mythology, Huixtocihuatl was a fertility goddess who presided over salt and salt water.
  
  Hinduism
  
  Salt is considered to be a very auspicious substance in Hinduism and is used in particular religious ceremonies like house-warmings and weddings.
  
  Jainism
  
  In Jainism, devotees lay an offering of raw rice with a pinch of salt before a deity to signify their devotion and salt is sprinkled on a person's cremated remains before the ashes are buried.
  
  Buddhism
  
  Salt is believed to ward off evil spirits in Mahayana Buddhist tradition, and when returning home from a funeral, a pinch of salt is thrown over the left shoulder as this prevents evil spirits from entering the house. In Shinto, Shio (塩, lit. "salt") is used for ritual purification of locations and people (harae, specifically shubatsu), and small piles of salt are placed in dishes by the entrance of establishments for the twofold purposes of warding off evil and attracting patrons.
  
  Judaism
  
  In Judaism, it is recommended to have either a salty bread or to add salt to the bread if this bread is unsalted when doing Kiddush for Shabbat. It is customary to spread some salt over the bread or to dip the bread in a little salt when passing the bread around the table after the Kiddush. To preserve the covenant between their people and God, Jews dip the Sabbath bread in salt.
  
  Christianity
  
  Salt plays a role within different Christian traditions. It is mandatory in the rite of the Tridentine Mass. Salt is used in the third item (which includes an Exorcism) of the Celtic Consecration (cf. Gallican Rite) that is employed in the consecration of a church, and it may be added to the water "where it is customary" in the Roman Catholic rite of Holy water.