Celebrating Winer Solstice

Astrologically, Winter Solstice is when the sun reaches the southern most point in the sky at noon.  It falls around 21st-22nd December. In Ancient times, observation was that the sun stands still for 2-3 days and then marks its journey back north on 25th December.  This day marks the ebbing of the sun and its return, it is metaphorically represented as birth or rebirth.




The word solstice comes from the Roman word Sol Invictus ("the undefeated Sun") which points to the Sun who returns undefeated. The Roman adapted Sun God 'Mithras' from the Persian God Mithra.

According to Iranian mythology, the Persian Savior, Mithra, who is an incarnation of eternal light, was born at the end of this night after the long-expected defeat of darkness against light.  Mithra is an Indo-Iranian god who is the upholder of covenant, contract, oath, or treaty. There are also reference of Mithra in Rig Veda as the light at dawn thus making him a solar deity and also God of creation.

The Egyptian, celebrate the winter solstice as the birthday of  Horus, the Solar God, (the son of Isis and Osaris).  Horus defeats Seth, God of darkness and hence we again find the recurring  theme of victory of light over darkness.

Writing in the late 1st and early 2nd centuries CE, Plutarch tells us that Harpocrates (from Hor-pa-khered,  Horus the Child) is born on the winter solstice.
"Isis, when she was aware of her being pregnant, put on a protective amulet on the sixth day of Phaophi, and at the winter solstice gave birth to Harpocrates, imperfect and prematurely born, amid plants that burgeoned and sprouted before their season"

The idea of Horus being born imperfect and prematurely makes symbolic sense as it shows the days are short.



In Japanese, Amaterasu the Shinto Goddess of the Sun is  also born on this day. The Babylonians held both land and river parades to mark the festival held in observation of the sun god Marduk's battle over darkness.

Roman festival of Saturnalia or the  festival of light leading to the winter solstice, with the abundant presence of candles symbolizing the quest for knowledge and truth.  The renewal of light and the coming of the new year was also celebrated. Also as a symbol of reversal (days becoming longer), masters would serve the tables for the sales on this day.  In later Roman period the festival was called Brumaliam solstice festival honoring Bacchus, generally held for a month and ending December 25. The festival included drinking and merriment. The name is derived from the Latin word bruma, meaning "shortest day" or "winter solstice".

A possible reason for the merriment could be that Winter Solstice also marked mid-winter point. Because people were not certain of lasting the harsh winters it would often be the last feast celebration before deep winter began. The celebrations would often have meat (as cattle would be slaughter before winters) and wine (the fact that wine/beer would be fermented and ready to drink)

Horus, the son of Isis is a close symbol of Virgin Mary and Jesus as Isis also had the miraculous conception.  It might be possible that the early Christians also adapted this day as the birth of the savior Jesus as it fitted into the celebration and birth of Mitras, Horus, Amaterasu and others.  In Northern Europe, (Germany and Finland) the festival of Yuletide  is celebrated.  Yule Log, Yule Tree and yule songs were later adapted as of part of the Christmas festivity that is celebrated to this day.

In India, the festival of Makar Shakranti is celebrated in January. This marks the passage of thesun from the Saggitarius zodiac to the Capricorn Zodiac. This also marks the periapsis of the earth's orbit around the sun, the time when the earth is closest to the sun.

In all ancient and modern religions, the return of the light at winter solstice is at once an uplifting environmental fact and a hopeful spiritual symbol. 

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