The Kallikantzaros would end up trying to count the holes in the colanders until sunrise and then have to go back underground before they could cause any mischief. They were reputed to be rather dumb and unable to count past 3, so villagers put out colanders to ward them off. Like the Kogukhpak, they could also be killed only by sunlight and emerged during the solstice to wreak havoc on homes and villages. In Greek Mythology, the Kallikantzaros were angry, hairy, gnome-like creatures who lived underground and tried to cut down the tree of life. On the winter solstice, the Kogukhpak emerged to hunt and mammoth carcasses were said to be the corpses of the ones who stayed out too long and died when the sun returned. The Yupik peoples, indigenous to the Artic, tell the story of the Kogukhpak, subterranean monsters with bulbous bodies and frog-like legs who could only be killed by the sun. In Finnish mythology, it’s told that Louhi, the “witch goddess of the North,” kidnapped the Sun and Moon and held them captive inside a mountain, causing the darkness of winter. But sometimes solstice stories are about kinder beings who help us through the leanest time of year, too. Winter solstice is also known as “The Day the Sun Stands Still.”Ĭultural traditions from around the Northern Hemisphere have long told fireside stories about mythical monsters who steal the sun, play tricks on or try to eat hapless humans in the darkness. The word “solstice” is derived from the Latin words “sol” (sun) and “sistere” (to stand). Only a minute or two at first, but it won’t take long for it to be noticeably lighter for longer. From this time forward, our days will begin to lengthen. The winter solstice also marks the astronomical beginning of winter, at 10:19 PM exactly, when Earth’s North Pole is tilted farthest away from the sun, though here in Minnesota, we might feel winter started much earlier. The decorated trees, the exchange of gifts, feasting, and the merrymaking that occur during Christmas are almost an exact re-enactment of this ancient festival that paid homage to the pagan deities and practices of this season, not the God of the Bible.Winter solstice, which falls on December 21 this year, marks the shortest day of the year when we will have just 8 hours and 46 minutes of daylight between sunrise and sunset.
Much of the Christmas celebration today closely resembles the Saturnalia of ancient Rome. When parts of Rome began converting to Christianity, some of the pagan rituals, such as Saturnalia, were carried over as compromises to make the transition less challenging.
It is believed that the popular Santa Claus greeting, “Ho! Ho! Ho!” has its roots in its Saturnalia counterpart. The customary greeting for the occasion was “Io, Saturnalia” (pronounced “yo”). Slaves were allowed to wear their masters’ clothing, masters served their slaves, and children and adults exchanged gifts such as dolls and candles. Saturnalia was instituted by Romulus, the founder of Rome under the name “ Brumalia” which means “ Winter Solstice.” This huge festival was held from December 17-23 it was a time of merry-making described as “the best of days.”ĭuring this celebration, there were no distinctions of rank or class everyone was equal. December 25 was the birthday of King Osiris. On each anniversary of his birth, she claimed Osiris would visit the evergreen tree and leave gifts there. After the death of King Osiris, his wife Isis propagated that a full-grown evergreen tree had sprung up overnight from a dead tree stump, symbolizing the spurning forth unto new life of Osiris. in the days of King Osiris and his wife, Isis. The Collins Encyclopaedia describes Saturnalia as a “large and important public festival” that took place in ancient Egypt from as early as 3000 B.C. The celebration would start in mid-December and last from five to seven days, during which the courts and normal community business would be suspended. Saturnalia was an ancient Roman festival celebrated to honour the god Saturn.
0 kommentar(er)
