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The Winter SolsticeBy Christian de la Huerta
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The winter solstice was a mysterious and powerful occurrence for ancient peoples. At the effect of an unpredictable, confounding and misunderstood environment, they created rituals and made offerings to the powers of nature in hopes of guaranteeing the return of spring. The winter solstice thus represented the death of the old solar year and the birth of the new, as well as the rebirth of the sun, a return to light after the dreaded times of darkness.
Among the old European names for winter solstice are Alban Arthan, Welsh for "the point of roughness;" Mean Geimredh, or Irish for "mid-winter;" Modranicht, or "mother night" to the Anglo-Saxons; and Deuorius Riuri, "great divine winter feast" in the Coligny Tablet, a surviving Celtic Calendar. Best known is, of course, Yule, which is said to have derived from the Norse Jol, meaning "wheel."
Today the benefits and comforts of modern technology buffer us -- for the most part -- from winter's fierceness, while scientific discoveries have helped us better understand the passing of the seasons. Yet countless people -- whether consciously or unconsciously -- still honor the winter solstice tradition.
It is at this time of the year that the pagan influence in some of our monotheistic religions is most evident. Ancient pagans (a word which originally meant "country-dwellers") observed the solstice on the 25th day of the winter month. Lacking the more accurate means of measurement that we have today, it took several days after the actual solstice for them to notice that the sun had reached the point of "stillness" and begun its trajectory in the opposite direction.
For example, the ancient Roman Saturnalia originally commemorated the feast day of Saturn on December 17. Later it was combined with the feast day of Ops (December 19) and extended into a week long festival lasting from the 17th until the 23rd. By the time of Emperor Aurelian's reign (270 to 275 CE), there were numerous religions competing for followers within the Roman Empire. Many of these observed the winter solstice as the time of birth of their honored deity or founder. Aurelian ordered the synthesis of several of these pagan solstice festivals -- celebrating the birth of the likes of Appolo, Attis, Baal, Dionysus, Helios, Hercules, Horus, Mithra, Osiris, Perseus, and Theseus -- into a single megafestival called the "Birthday of the Unconquered Sun," to be celebrated on December 25th.
Not until roughly 100 years later had Christianity emerged as the official religion of the Roman Empire. At the time, experts tell us, it became important that an official day celebrating the birth of Jesus be chosen. (As many people now know, there are no official records of the birth of Jesus, and estimates range from a fall birth to February.) Church leaders in Rome settled on December 25 since this date was already widely recognized throughout the Roman Empire as the birthday of various gods. To some, it was an act of intentional assimilation; others believe it was a way to celebrate the birth of Christ without bringing undue attention to Christians wary of persecution. Because there was no established church organization or hierarchy, it took quite a bit of time for the tradition to be universally accepted. For example, Eastern churches began to honor Christmas after 375 CE , while it took until the 7th century for the Jerusalem church to recognize the feast day. Christmas was not celebrated in Ireland until the 5th century, and in Austria, England and Switzerland until the 8th.
Many of the Christmas icons, rituals and conventions still in use today are of pagan origin. The ancient Druids, for example, decorated oak trees with candles and apples to drive away the darkness and invite the return of light and fertility. During the winter solstice pagans were said to go into the forests to honor and give offerings to evergreens, whose ability to remain alive and vigorous during the harsh winter months was a source of awe and mystery, as well as a symbol of hope. The practice of collecting "sacred trees" was found among several ancient peoples. Viewed in this context, it is not surprising that the German word for Christmas is Tannenbaum, or "sacred tree," and not the more literal translation, Kristenbaum, or "Christmas tree."
Other Christmas traditions with pagan roots include the exchange of gifts, caroling, or wassailing, processions, and the ingesting of sweets. Wreaths symbolized the cyclical nature of the seasons and of life. Holly, ivy and mistletoe were likewise considered to have magical and protective qualities because of their ability to remain vital and/or produce berries in winter.
Further evidence of pagan influence is seen in the occasional attempts by church authorities throughout history to ban some of these practices. As recently as the 17th century, Massachusetts Puritans tried, but failed, to ban Christmas, while on the other side of the Atlantic, in 1652 an order of Parliament decreed that "no observation shall be had of the five and twentieth day of December, commonly called Christmas Day; nor any solemnity used or exercised in churches upon that day in respect thereof." Polydor Virgil, a 16th century British historian of Italian origins, condemned the "Christmas disorderes (i.e. "revelling, epicurisme, wantonesse, idlenesse, dancing, drinking, stage-plaies, masques, and carnall pompe and jollity") now in use with Christians," which were "derived from these Roman Saturnalia and Bacchanalian festivals," and which "should cause all pious Christians eternally to abominate them." Indeed, some modern-day Christian sects, such as the Jehovah's Witnesses, do not observe Christmas because of its connection to pagan celebrations.
The Jewish holiday of Chanukkah also has connections to the winter solstice. The "Feast of Lights" commemorates the battle fought by the Maccabees for religious freedom. In the 2nd century BCE.-- during the winter solstice- - Judea was conquered by the Syrians. After discontinuing worship in the Temple and stealing the menorah, or sacred lamp, King Antiochus rededicated the Temple to a pagan deity. Three years later, again at the time of the solstice, after reconquering Jerusalem, Judah the Maccabee and his band of rebels restored the temple and relit the menorah. Even though there was only enough consecrated oil to last for one day, the flames lasted eight. Today Jews celebrate Chanukkah by lighting one candle for each of the eight days of the festival, which commemorates the miracle at the Temple. Modern-day menorahs have a ninth candle -- the shamash, or servant light -- which is used to light the other eight candles. Gifts are also exchanged in this tradition. Again, the theme of light dispelling darkness is seen in this holiday.
So, on this Winter Solstice, no matter how we may observe the holiday season and what specific symbols and traditions inspire us to remember the hope of renewed life, let us remember to take time to go within. For winter is the time to go inside, into the silence and darkness in which new creation is birthed. Facing and acknowledging any darkness present in our personal lives, let us welcome the light that will dispel and dissolve it, even if we cannot quite yet see it. Let us also acknowledge the places where creation and inspiration are born in the silence and darkness: the earth, the sea, the womb, the heart, the mind, the emotions, the subconscious. And let us reclaim hope as we confront darkness, whether in our personal lives or in our world, knowing that the seeds of change lie within in dormancy, if we will only persevere through the hard times.
