Pagan sun festival that was taken over by the early Church in an effort to stamp out any religion that was not their own Day!
I hope your light bearing fir in the stand decorated with shiny baubles, yule fire burning in the fireplace and enormous feast of roast beast do indeed bring back the sun and the light of the new year shines brightly on you and yours.
My sincerest expressions of good will and peace to your family as the winter begins and the forecast calls for you to be stuck in the house due to snow, ice and frigid temps. Should you survive the "long night" of winter intact and not insane, may the warm spring sun and showers bring rebirth to your land.
Many blessings to all (Christian, Pagan, Jew, Muslim, etc) on this eve of celebration, whether you celebrate it or not. Every one can use some good tidings now and again, so these are mine to you!
Happiest of Holidays,
Ozark Momma, Ozark Spouse and Ozark Screamers
5 comments:
Good tidings to you, too! Blessed be!
Peace be on your house this season as well...
I'm not sure that's a particularly fair characterization of the relationship between the early Church and paganism. I seem to recall reading that at least for Christianity's first four centuries, this relationship with the "pagan" civil authorities were best typified by lions and roadside crucifixion.
Generally speaking, the adoption of elements of pagan symbology was typically a matter either of "passing" as "pagan" in broader society, or in making theologically acceptable compromises for converts who didn't want to abandon their traditional practices just because they were abandoning their gods.
Prior to the Holy Roman Empire (by which point Christianity was already pretty much universal in Europe), the Christians weren't really in much of a position to go stamping out other religions.
The inquisitions, witch trials, and other such joys came later and were typically rooted either in preventing the spread of Islam into Medditerranean Europe, or in Protestant/Catholic conflicts. (These were themsemves more often matters of succession, dynasty, or finance than they were matters of religion).
Regardless, enjoy your holiday and your winter too.
Glad tiding to you and your family from one of those "pagan" folks. ;-)
Hope you, yours, and the screamers especially had a good 'un. Christmases when I was a kid are some of my fondest memories, and not because of the presents, but for the family gatherings....
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