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How Sunday Got it’s Name

Updated: December 14, 2022 by Floyd Brooks Leave a Comment

Sunday is the day of the week that is typically considered the start of the new week in many parts of the world. It is named after the Sun, the dominant natural light that is the source of light and life on Earth. The word “Sunday” comes from the Old English word “sunnandæg,” which means “day of the Sun.”

The history of Sunday as a day of rest and worship can be traced back to ancient civilizations. In ancient Rome, Sunday was known as the “dies solis,” or “day of the Sun,” and was a day of rest and worship for the Roman sun god, Sol Invictus. In ancient Greece, the day was dedicated to the sun god Helios and was considered a day of rest and contemplation.

In the early days of Christianity, Sunday was also a day of worship and rest, as it was believed to be the day of Jesus’ resurrection. In 325 AD, the Council of Nicaea decreed that Sunday would be a day of worship for Christians, and it has remained so ever since.

In many countries, Sunday has also become a day of leisure and family time. Many people use Sunday as a day to catch up on rest and relaxation, and to spend time with loved ones. It is also a common day for people to attend religious services and engage in other spiritual practices.

In short, Sunday has a rich history as a day of rest, worship, and contemplation. Its name, “Sunday,” comes from the Latin word for the Sun, and it continues to be a day of significance for many people around the world.

A Brief History of the Customs and Traditions of Valentines Day

Updated: March 6, 2022 by Floyd Brooks Leave a Comment

The History of Valentine’s Day

Men dread it, and women await its arrival like one in travail. Many hearts flutter and proportionate amounts are shattered. Elaborate engagements are planned, and many wedding vows are renewed. Love is celebrated. Candies and cards fly off shelves, love ones make time for each other, and the lines to get into a decent restaurant starts around the block. According to Chris Morris of Fortune.com, “many restaurants, knowing the pressure that comes with the holiday, hike their prices to exorbitant levels, knowing they’ll still have to turn people away” (Morris, 2016). Today, on the day of February 14, Saint Valentine’s Day is celebrated. So what is the history of this day? Where are these traditions from? Is this day distinctive on the calendar because of happenchance?

The Nimrod Connection

To get to the root of this celebration, we have to move the clock way back in time—all the way back to Nimrod and his mother-wife, Semiramisis. She taught the people that Nimrod had become the sun god, Baal. Baal too is known by many names and titles. These include Marduk, Horus, Zeus, etc.

The worship of Nimrod and Semiramisis was spread throughout the world when YHWH, confused the tongues of men because of the wickedness behind the Tower of Babel’s construction. As result of this dispersion, the wickedness was in effect spread around the world, albeit in different languages. For example, Semiramisis and Nimrod were now known by different names throughout the world.

In Babylon, they were called Ashtoreth and Tammuz, Isis and Osiris (Horus and Ra) in Egypt, Aphrodite and Eros in Greece, Shing Moo (the Holy Mother) and child in China, and Isi and Iswara (Devaki and Krishna) in India, Frigga and Balder in Scandinavia, just to name a few. The common theme here is that the child was worshiped as both husband and son of the mother goddess (Hislop, 1858).

One of the great cities that Nimrod built was Babylon. In Babylon, they celebrated the festival of Oimbolc. This festival celebrated mid-winter and the return of the sun, or sun god (Baal). The midwinter is the midpoint between the winter solstice and the spring equinox. Beginning on February 2, candles were lit to welcome the sun and the women began their purification process for the upcoming fertility rites of spring (ForsakenBabylon, 2017).

The Romans were Pagans. According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, a Pagan is “1:HEATHEN; especially: a follower of a polytheistic religion (as in ancient Rome) 2: one who has little or no religion and who delights in sensual pleasures and material goods: an irreligious or hedonistic person” (Merriam-Webster Dictionary, 2016).

The Romans had many gods. As the Roman Empire grew, the nations whose god’s they conquered were frequently added to their roster of gods. The Romans believed that the god’s, or spirits, that they served were present with them. According to PBS.org, “It was believed that the god actually took part in the meal: a place was set for him at the table, invitations were issued in his name, and a portion of the food served was set aside for him to enjoy” (PBS, 2016).

All nations of the earth had numerous gods. They were Pagans. The Hebrews followed the one true god, YHWH. He is the Creator of Heaven and of Earth. The Hebrews, were given numerous laws. Among these laws was a commandment condemning idol worship.

Lupercalia

The ancient Romans believed that birds select their mates on February 14. On the day after that, February 15, the Romans celebrated the Feast of Lupercalia (LibraryofCongress, 2018). This was a spring fertility and purification festival. The root word of Lupercalia is lupus. Lupus is a Latin word that means wolf. It is widely acknowledged that the Romans believed in an ancient deity that protected herds from wolves.

This festival was held in honor of the fertility deity, Lupercus. Lupercus in Roman mythology is the god of shepherds. Lupercus is identical to the pagan god Faunus, the pagan god of sheep and shepherds. Faunus is identical to the Greek god Pan and the Celtic god Dusios. During this month, Februus was also celebrated. This was the Roman god of purification. February is named after this Roman god.

The similarities between these creatures are astounding. These creatures were thought to be a half-man, half-goat creature. They were also worshipped as a “mighty hunter.” Where have we seen that before? Nimrod is described in the Scriptures as a mighty hunter before the YHWH. Nimrod built great cities such as Babylon (Genesis10: 8-10). Consequently, when these gods are being celebrated, they are celebrating Baal, Rempham, Chium, Baphomet, etc—representations of Nimrod.

These pagan gods were usually celebrated in merriment. The sounds of the forest was said to be the voice of Faunus (EncyclopædiaBritannica, 2018). Faunus, Pan, and Dusios are all represented as half-man-half-goat creatures in depictions.

The priests of Lupercus were called Luperci. The Lupercalia was led by two priests. At the festival, these men were dressed only in goatskin of the sacrificed animals to represent Lupercus. They would start the festival by sacrificing two goats (for fertility) and a dog (for purification). Professor Leonhard Schmitz of the University of Chicago writes that animals were chosen to be sacrificed “for their strong sexual instinct, and thus were appropriate sacrifices to the god of fertility” (Schmitz, 2016).

The two priests would then be selected to approach the altar. Their heads were then marked (anointed) with the bloodied knife of the sacrificial animals before it was wiped off with wool dipped in milk (Encyclopedia Britannica, 2016). The men were expected to smile and laugh at the end of the process. After this, the people feasted on the sacrificial animals.

The Luperci also ate, indulged in wine and covered themselves in the blood of the animals. They also covered themselves in the skin of the goats that they sacrificed to imitate the god Lupercus. They would then run around Palatine Hill. Women, some bare breasted, would then approach them hoping to be “hit upon” with the thongs. These pieces of skin are called thongs, or februa.This they thought would make them more pure, fertile, and cause the child birthing process to be much easier (Schmitz, Lupercalia, 2018). The people at the festival also ate sacred cakes (mola salsa) created by Vestal Virgins with the wheat of the previous harvest (Takács, 2010). Vesta was the Roman goddess of domestic activity.

The Symbols of Valentine’s Day (Lupercalia)

Cupid, Roses and the Heart
The Lupercalia also included the worship of Venus. She was the Roman goddess of beauty, love, fertility, and sexual immortality such as prostitution (Hoena, 2003). Her Greek equivalent is Aphrodite (Garcia, 2013). Venus’ favorite flower is the rose, red roses to be exact. She is thought to ride around in a chariot pulled by white pigeons. Her son was Cupid (Eros in Greek).

The Cupid was given power to cause love to begin and to cease. Cupid is the Roman god of desire, affection, and erotic love. According to Mark Cartwright from Ancient Encyclopedia, “Eros was also considered the protector of homosexual love” (Cartwright, 2013). The cupid, or Eros, will fire his bow at an unsuspecting target with the heart being his target (Cartwright, 2013). The victim would then fall in love with the first person they encounter. Eros, or Cupid, is the Roman Greek equivalent of Tammuz, the reincarnate of Nimrod.

The Hebrews sinned when they worshipped Tammuz (Ezekiel 8:5; 8:14). In the depictions of Tammuz, the heart shaped Egytian Persea fruit was often found in his hand (Hislop, 1858). The Egyptian Persea was sacred to the Egyptians, the same tree we call avocado today. Tammuz became known as the god of the heart, the “Sacred Heart.” Hislop in his book, The Two Babylons, writes, “Roman youths, in their tender years, used to wear a golden ornament suspended from their necks, called bulla, which was hollow, and heart-shaped” (Hislop, 1858, p. 170).

In the Chaldean, the word for heart is bel. The heart symbolizes the child of the great mother. Where do we see such symbolisms today? Hislop writes in his book that the heart represents the image of Moloch, or Bel, the sun god, or fire god (Hislop, 1858, p. 172).

Candles
Today, the Catholic Church celebrates Candlemas, or the Purification of the Virgin Mary, on February 2nd. This is celebrated as a day to commemorate the presentation of Jesus at the Temple. According to Alexander Hislop, as a part of the worship of the sun god (Baal), “burning lamps and lighted candles should form part of the worship of that Son” (Hislop, 1858, p. 172).

Matchmaking
Some of the other activities of this pagan holiday included the choosing a female partner. Young girls would place their names with a love note into a box. Young men then drew out the names. The “lucky girl” whose name was drawn became the sexual partner with the man for the upcoming year, until the next Lupercalia. March 1 was the beginning of the new year in ancient Rome. At the beginning in March, the fertility rites of the Spring Equinox began.

Let the Blood Flow
Various nations across Europe had rituals that were carried out at this time of the year as it approached the end of winter. The common theme among these festivals was the return of the sun after a brutal winter. According to The Globe Republican, “a French almanac of 1672 says that bloodletting on Saint Valentine’s Day makes the blood clean every night and morning; and that bloodletting on the eve of Saint Valentine’s Day guard against fever for an entire year.

“Galatin’s Day”
In France, the Normans (Norse) celebrated a day of love as well. This day was called Galatin’s Day. Galatin means “lover of women” (Seipel, 2011). The letter G was oftentimes pronounced with a V sound. Consequently, Galatin was sometimes pronounced “Valatin.”

Imbolc
Imbolc (pronunciations vary) is the festival of lactating sheep for pagans and the pagan goddess Brighid (“exalted one”). This festival celebrates the first signs of spring.

The winter solstice is long gone and the pagans are now seeing that the days are getting gradually longer. This was one of the most important fertility festivals for pagans. Imbolc is a Celtic word that means ‘ewes milk.’ At this time of the year, the ewe is getting ready to give birth.

It was believed that Brighid, the pagan goddess’ snake emerged from the womb of the earth-mother to test the weather. Bridghid, it is believed, is reborn on this day. Hence, this event is also called Brighid’s Day. Pagans honor her memory during this time. They light candles and hearth fires and celebrate the sun’s rays.

Groundhog Day and Candlemas
Imbolc is celebrated on Groundhogs Day. There are various traditions associated with this day. Some of these traditions include Groundhog Day and Candlemas. As the Catholic Church grew across pagan Europe, the Church incorporated popular pagan traditions of the locals to win them over to the new religion of Christianity. These holidays were added into the calendar of the Church and overlayed them with church saints.

Groundhog’s Day is celebrated on the 2nd of February. The presence of the sun represents the continuance of winter for an additional six weeks. Imbolc is one of the eight major pagan heathen Sabbaths. Nine months after this fertility festival is Samhain, or Halloween. Pagans see it as good luck for a child to be born on any of the eight Sabbaths.

The Roman Catholic Church sought to whitewash this holiday and call it Candlemas, or the Feast of the Purification of Mary. This festival falls 40 days after the Eve of the supposed birth of Jesus on December 25. In the Anglican Church, this day is called Presentation of Christ in the Temple.

Important People

Emperor Claudius II
Emperor Claudius II outlawed marriage for young men. He felt that single men made better soldiers compared to those who were married and had a family. It is said that, Saint Valentine went counter to Claudius’ decree, and in secret, he officiated marriage ceremonies to young lovers. Valentine was put to death after his actions were discovered. He was beaten with cudgels and beheaded (History.com, 2018).

Constantine
It was Constantine who defeated Licinius, the Pagan Emperor and united the Roman Empire. As a part of this agreement, religious tolerance was agreed upon between them. Therefore, the pagan practices and customs of the Roman Empire were now accepted into this new religion called Christianity. The various councils that were to follow created an established order for such activities. These include the first Council of Nicaea. The Christianizing of Pagan customs were now in overdrive. To get the masses to buy into the Church of Rome—Roman Catholism, the Pagan feasts were now attributed to people called saints (Hislop, 1858, p. 172).

Pope Galius
According to the Encyclopedia Britannica, “In 494 CE the Christian church under Pope Gelasius I appropriated the form of the rite as the Feast of the Purification” (Encyclopedia Britannica, 2016). He was trying to whitewash the pagan aspects of the festivities with Christian traditions. The Catholic Church tried all they could to hide their pagan roots. The Catholic Church eventually made the long dead valentine a saint and attributed the day before the Lupercalia after him—Saint Valentine’s Day was born. According to Catholic.org, Valentine is the Patron Saint of “affianced couples, bee keepers, engaged couples, epilepsy, fainting, greetings, happy marriages, love, lovers, plague, travellers, and young people. He is represented in pictures with birds and roses and his feast day is celebrated on February 14” (Catholic Online, 2016).

Conclusion
Valentine’s Day is a neo-pagan celebration. It is an ancient fertility celebration that stretches all the way back to Pagan Roman fertility celebrations and even back towards Nimrod worship. For most people, however, it has come to be a day to show love driven by media financed by retailers. On a day dominated by red, retailers see green. The Catholic Church finally gave up on the day in 1969 and dropped it from the Catholic calendar (The Editors of Encyclopædia Britannica, 2016). Consequently, we can theorize that there is a gradual return to the original pagan roots of this pre spring festival. A festival that was created to honor the pagan gods for fertility and purification was coopted by the Catholic Church and protestant churches alike. These adaptations made this holiday accepted by wide cross sections of nations once ruled by European nations through conquest and colonization. Fueled by the power of American marketing, this holiday is now out of the hands of the Catholic Church or any specific religious authority.

References

Ashworth, L. (2004). Ancient Rome (Gods & Goddesses). Cherrytree Books .
Cartwright, M. ( 2013). Eros. Retrieved from Ancient History Encyclopedia: http://www.ancient.eu/Eros/
Catholic Online. (2016). St. Valentine. Retrieved from Catholic Online: http://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=159
EncyclopædiaBritannica. (2018). Faunus: Ancient Italian God. Retrieved from Encyclopædia Britannica: https://www.britannica.com/topic/Faunus
Encyclopedia Britannica. (2016). Lupercalia. Retrieved from Encyclopedia Britannica: https://www.britannica.com/topic/Lupercalia#ref30088
ForsakenBabylon. (2017). THE TRUTH ABOUT ST. VALENTINE’S DAY. Retrieved from Babylon Forsaken: http://www.babylonforsaken.com/valentines.html
Garcia, B. (2013). Venus. Retrieved from Ancient History Encyclopedia: http://www.ancient.eu/venus/
Hislop, A. (1858). The Two Babylons. Retrieved from https://ia800309.us.archive.org/6/items/theTwoBabylons/TheTwoBabylons.pdf
History.com. (2018). THIS DAY IN HISTORY. Retrieved from History.com: http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/st-valentine-beheaded
Hoena, B. A. (2003). Venus.
LibraryofCongress. (2018). Today in History – February 14: Today in History. Retrieved from Library of Congress: https://www.loc.gov/item/today-in-history/february-14/
Merriam-Webster Dictionary. (2016). Pagan. Retrieved from Merriam-Webster: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pagan
Morris, C. (2016). 8 Chain Restaurants With Valentine’s Day Deals. Retrieved from Fortune.com: http://fortune.com/2016/02/11/valentines-day-ideas-dates-restaurants/
PBS. (2016). Roman Empire – In The First Century. Retrieved from PBS: http://www.pbs.org/empires/romans/empire/worship.html
Schmitz, L. (2016). Lupercalia. Retrieved from University of Chicago: http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/e/roman/texts/secondary/smigra*/lupercalia.html
Schmitz, L. (2018). Lupercalia. Retrieved from http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/secondary/SMIGRA*/Lupercalia.html
Seipel, A. (2011, February 13). The Dark Origins Of Valentine’s Day. Retrieved from NPR: http://www.npr.org/2011/02/14/133693152/the-dark-origins-of-valentines-day
Takács, S. A. (2010). Vestal Virgins, Sibyls, and Matrons: Women in Roman Religion. University of Texas Press .
The Editors of Encyclopædia Britannica. (2016). Candlemas. Retrieved from Encyclopædia Britannica: https://www.britannica.com/topic/Candlemas

The SHOCKING Pagan Origins of Christmas: Christmas Before it was Christmas

Updated: March 6, 2022 by Floyd Brooks Leave a Comment

Christmas is the time of the year when followers of Christianity celebrate the birth of Jesus. This birthday is held in the cold, dead of winter, on December 25. This period is marked by staying up late, colorful decorations, partying and revelry, grandiose feasts, catchy carols, decorating Christmas trees, and waiting for Santa Claus. So what is the true history of Christmas? Is this celebration biblical?

Christmas was not always called Christmas. In the words of Hans J. Hillerbrand of the Encyclopedia Britannica, “The English term Christmas (“mass on Christ’s day”) is of fairly recent origin. The earlier term Yule may have derived from the Germanic jōl or the Anglo-Saxon geōl, which referred to the feast of the winter solstice” (Hillerbrand, 2015).

Many of us have been led to believe that this deep winter celebration was based on the scriptures. Is it a coincidence that the world over, celebrations of this nature take place in the middle of winter, on the winter solstice? The winter solstice is the most popular time of the year for winter celebrations. The winter solstice is the time of the year when the earth’s axis tilts the farthest away from the sun in the northern hemisphere. Consequently, this causes the winter solstice to be the longest night of the year. After that, the days start getting longer again. This also officially marks the start of winter.

The God of the Hebrews, YHWH (pronunciations vary), warned his people to not worship the host of the heavens (sun, moon, stars, etc.) or any other creation after they were delivered out of the land of Egypt (Deuteronomy 4:19, King James Version). This was a commandment.

The Root of this Celebration

Nimrod was a mighty hunter before the Lord (Genesis 10:9, King James Version). Nimrod is credited for building great cities such as Nineveh and Babylon. He was a rebel. He built the Tower of Babel. He tried to turn people away from the Almighty, YHWH. YHWH had to stop the construction of this tower. After the languages of men were confounded to end the Tower of Babel’s construction, the people were scattered to the four corners of the world (Genesis 11:9, King James Version).

After the death of Cush, Nimrod took his mother (Semiramis) as a wife. Nimrod soon died himself. His body was cut into pieces and scattered throughout his kingdoms. Semiramis taught the people that the only body part that remained missing was his male member, so he had gone to the sun. His name should now be called Baal, the sun god. She taught the people that Nimrod was the father of her unborn child, and the baby was conceived by him through rays of the sun.

For his presence and power to rein supreme, phallic symbols and fires should be lit to honor him. The supposed child of that union is Horus (Tammuz), the reincarnate of Nimrod (Standish, 1992). Semiramis claimed a full-grown evergreen tree sprang out of the roots of a dead tree stump. This symbolized the springing forth of new life for Nimrod. On the anniversary of Nimrod’s birth (December 25), she said that Nimrod would visit the evergreen tree and leave gifts under it. This is the genesis of the Christmas tree-the symbol of Nimrod. This equates to approximately nine months after Easter, or the date Ishtar became pregnant with Tammuz, Nimrod reincarnated (Perdue, 2013).

According to Tadzik Zdan in his book Only A Few, he writes, “for centuries Tammuz’s birthday was celebrated with feasts, revelry, and drunken orgies” (Zdan, 2009). After the myth of Nimrod was taught, his incarnations started showing up in a number of cultures around the world. For example, The Babylonians had many gods. Their chief god was Marduk (Merodach) (Jeremiah 50:2, King James Version). Marduk was known by the titles Bel, Baal, or Lord (Britannica, 2016). Baal, the sun god, is now everywhere.

Some scholars have also concluded that the Christmas tree may be a male phallic symbol of eternal life (Trimm, 2016). The erections of such symbolisms have been around for thousands of years. Ancient nations of Ethiopia and Egypt had an abundance of such phallic symbols; some are still standing there today. The ancients revered the sun. The obelisks were constructed to symbolize a frozen ray of sun. Even today, one can trek over to the nearest graveyard and see phallic symbols in abundance. This was a way to pay homage to the sun god. Today, the tallest obelisk in the world is not in the land of Ham, such as Egypt or Ethiopia, instead it is located in the capital of the United States. This monument, held in place at the top of a pyramid, stands an impressive 555 feet. It is called the Washington Monument. Did you know that some of the most powerful and influential men in history have phallic symbols dedicated to them?

The cutting down of the tree has significant meaning. This signifies the premature death of Tammuz. As a part of this custom, the people would cry and mourn for Tammuz. The star placed at the top of the tree most likely signifies the sun god, or fire god (Saturn, Moloch, Marduk, Rempham, etc). The star could also be a representation of Semiramis herself. One of her symbols was an eight-pointed star. The pagan worship of stars, the sun, the moon, and other planetary objects have been popular since ancient times.

Semiramis is known by many names around the world. Some of these names include mother of god, Ishtar (Easter), Ashtoreth, Athtart, Ashtaroth, Ashtart, Asherah, Inanna, and Isis. She is the goddess of fertility, love, war, sex, and power. Her symbols include eggs, owls, fish, doves, pole (tree stump), and the star (usually the eight-pointed star. In the Bible, she is described as the queen of heaven. The worship of her was something that the God of the Hebrews, YHWH, hated. This was preached at the mouth of the prophet Jeremiah (Jeremiah 44:17-19; Jeremiah 7:18; Jeremiah 44:25, King James Version). For example, Jeremiah 44:18 says, ”but since we left off to burn incense to the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto her, we have wanted all things, and have been consumed by the sword and by the famine.” Even King Solomon, it is written, followed this fertility goddess: “For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Zidonians and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites” (1 Kings 11:5, King James Version). Nimrod too was represented by the same symbols as his mother-wife, Semiramis. These symbols include the fish, which is the fish god (Dagon). When the Hebrews went after other gods, this was considered whoredom (Jeremiah 3:8, King James Version).

Tree Worship

In ancient Europe and many pagan nations around the world, the worship of trees was very common. Trees played an important role in the spiritual lives of the people. The people had animistic beliefs. According to the Merriam Webster Dictionary, animism is “the belief that all plants, animals, and objects have spirits” (Merriam-Webster’s collegiate dictionary, 2016).
In Rome, Ojibwa writes: “the sacred fig-tree of Romulus was found in the Forum. This tree was worshiped throughout the age of the Roman empire, and if a citizen thought that the tree was drooping, a hue-and-cry went out which was answered by citizens running with buckets of water as if they were putting out a fire” (Ojibwa, 2016).
In Northern Europe, the Germans tied fruit and attached candles to evergreen tree branches. This was done in honor of their god, Woden (Odin). The third day of the week, Wednesday, was named after this pagan god. These trees symbolized eternal life to them.
The Hebrews, we can read, committed abominations with the Asherah (groves) throughout scripture. There is usually a grove (Asherah) near an altar of Baal, or Bel. They would also decorate these abominations by making hangings for them (2 Kings 23:7, King James Version). That is because they represent Nimrod and his mother Semiramis. This is sun worship. This is idolatry. Even the decorations on the trees are nothing new. Ball (Baals) anyone? People hang from the trees these ornaments. In 2 Kings 23:7 we read, “And he brake down the houses of the sodomites, that were by the house of the LORD, where the women wove hangings for the grove.” In Judges, for example, we can see that YHWH commanded Gideon to:
“25.Take thy father’s young bullock, even the second bullock of seven years old, and throw down the altar of Baal that thy father hath, and cut down the grove that is by it: 26. And build an altar unto the LORD thy God upon the top of this rock, in the ordered place, and take the second bullock, and offer a burnt sacrifice with the wood of the grove which thou shalt cut down (Judges 6:25-26, King James Version).

Punishment for the Hebrews

The Hebrews of old transgressed the commandments when they followed pagan gods. They were taking part in this Babylonian practice of worshipping idols when they cut trees down on the winter solstice and decorated them in honor of Tammuz. The Hebrews were routinely punished by YHWH when they committed whoredoms by following Pagan gods and profaned the Sabbath and other appointed dates. Jeremiah 10:2 – 10:5 reads:

2. Thus saith the LORD, Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the heathen are dismayed at them.
3 For the customs of the people [are] vain: for [one] cutteth a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the axe.
4 They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not.
5 They [are] upright as the palm tree, but speak not: they must needs be borne, because they cannot go. Be not afraid of them; for they cannot do evil, neither also [is it] in them to do good.

Saturnalia, the Sun God Festival—The Romans

There were many midwinter celebrations throughout the Pagan world. They have not gone anywhere; they are still with us today. Some of the most influential religions and rituals of Pagan Europe have been absorbed into Christianity. The Roman Empire had a winter solstice celebration called Saturnalia. Saturnalia was their way to give thanks to their god, Saturn. This pagan god was truly influential. Even the day of the week that we call Saturday was named in honor of this Roman god. How about the planet Saturn? Yes, him.

By the time this winter celebration came around, all planting was complete. Saturnalia was originally celebrated from December 17 to December 24. This was a time of great merrymaking. Social order was inverted and the people indulged. According to Encyclopedia Britannica, “Saturn’s great festival, the Saturnalia, became the most popular of Roman festivals” (Briatannica, 2016). December 25 was especially special; this day of climax became known as the Brumalia. According to Merriam-Webster Dictionary, Brumalia was “a pagan festival held at the winter solstice from which some features of the celebration of Christmas seem to have originated.”

During this holiday, public gambling was permitted. Slaves were allowed to take part in the celebrations, and they did not have to work. Colorful dinner clothes were permitted in public. The Phrygian cap, or pileus (a felt cap normally worn by freed slaves) symbolized the freedom of the season in Rome. To symbolize this freedom, an innocent Roman citizen was selected to indulge in anything they so desire. This person was called the Lord of Misrule–a king for a day. The Lord of Misrule was sacrificed on the final day on the altar of Saturn. This dramatic end to his short rule was a way to end the period of social disorder and return to normality (Womack, 2003).

Sol Invicticus

Dies Natalis Solis Invicti, ‘birthday of the Unconquered Sun’, was another holiday that ancient Rome celebrated. This holiday was celebrated on December 25. The Roman Empire, as was their custom, frequently coopted the gods of the nations they conquered (Bricken, 2016). Mithras was no different. According to the Encyclopedia Britannica, “Mithraism is the worship of Mithras, the Iranian god of the sun, justice, contract, and war in pre-Zoroastrian Iran. In the Roman Empire during the 2nd and 3rd centuries, this deity was honored as the patron of loyalty to the emperor” (Britannica, 2016).

The Romans saw Mithras as being identical to their Sun-god, Saturn. The widespread observance of Sunday as the “Lord’s Day” is seemingly derived from Mithraism. Mithraism was the final state religion before Christianity, in the form of Roman Catholism (Fingrut, 2016). Mithra’s birthday was celebrated on December 25. Emperor Aurelian established December 25 as the birthday of the “Invincible Sun” (Mithra). Romans who practiced Mithraism were of the upper-class and all men. In today’s terms, Mithraism would be considered a secret society because of the secret oaths and rituals that members engaged in. In addition, the elites of these societies dominated the membership. Constantine was raised in the religion of Sol Invicta, Mithraism. Today Iranians celebrate a day called Yalda. This holiday celebrates the winter solstice. This day is also known as Shab-e Chelleh. Both Yalda and Christmas are celebrated in a similar way; this involves feasting with friends and family, and staying up late (Mirrazavi, 2015).

The Growing Influence of Christmas

Undoubtedly, the worldwide celebration of Christmas today can be traced back to European domination of the world. Throughout Europe, various forms of similar winter solstice celebrations were held. In Greece, there was celebration held to honor Dionoysis. This god was identical to the Roman god Bacchus. Bacchus was the child of Jupiter (Zeus in Greek) according to Roman myths. Diónysos, the god of wine (grape harvest), and included parties, festivals, wild celebrations, madness, chaos, drunkenness, ecstasy and fertility. December 25 marks his birthday. This feast lasted for 12 days. These days of wild celebrations and excess reveling was called Bacchanalia. The days were marked with great feasts that included parades of naked women and public sex. This celebration has left footprints around the world in the form of carnival, bacchanal, or bacchanalia, and Mardi Gras.

In Finland, they had the Beiwe (Beaivi) Festival. They worshiped the sun-goddess of fertility and sanity, Beiwe. This pagan god is sometimes shown as a male figure. At the winter solstice, white animals, particularly white reindeer, were sacrificed to Beiwe. They also thought (think) that Beiwe rides a sleigh made of reindeer bones and was pulled by white reindeer (Kaldera & Krasskova, 2012).
Many Slavic people also celebrated Karachun. This pagan holiday is very similar to Samhain (Halloween). This holiday was held in honor of the black god, Chernoborg. According to Encyclopedia Britannica, “the Black God survives in numerous Slavic curses and a White God (Belobog-god of light and sun), whose aid is sought to obtain protection or mercy in Bulgaria, Serbia, and Pomerania. This religious dualism of white and black gods is common to practically all the peoples of Eurasia” (Gasparini, 2016). In Russia, they celebrated the winter goddess, Rozhnitsa, at the winter solstice. She was the antlered goddess.

Yule

In Northern Europe, they celebrated Yule. This is where the majority of the Christmas traditions in the English Speaking world derived their Christmas traditions. This celebration lasted for twelve days. As a part of this festival, feasting and revelry were commonplace. Giant bonfires were also lit. The night before Yule was called Mōdraniht. Mōdraniht means Mother’s Night. During this night, the spirits of dead women and female deities were honored. This is called Desir.

Some of the traditions of Yule include the Yule tree, Yule log, Yule goat, Yule boar, and Yule singing, just to name a few.The Yule tree became the Christmas tree. This tree was decorated around the winter solstice. The men of the household would cut down evergreens from the forests and bring them into their homes. Families would light Yule logs, usually from the preceding year. They would eat, drink, and make merry until the logs burned out. If the log burned until midmorning, it was considered good omen (Pesznecker & Llewellyn , 2015). This celebration honored “father winter” and Skadi (“snow queen”) of whom the land of Scandinavia is thought to have been named after (Pesznecker & Llewellyn , 2015). It is believed that each spark of the log represents an animal, such a calf, or pig that would be born in the new year.

The Yule goat was one of the most popular aspects of Yule at its height. A remnant of this celebration is still held today in various countries across Europe. It was believed that the Nordic god, Thor, rode through the sky on a chariot pulled by two goats. The function of the Yule goat is not fixed. In some societies, the Yule goat represented an evil spirit that went around demanding gifts and punishing children who were bad that year (Hawkins, 2013). The Yule, or Christmas, goat is also known as Krampus. Krampus was the companion of Santa Claus. Krampus would spank misbehaving children, eat them, or carry them off to hell. The Yule ham is another abomination that is a major aspect of the pagan Yule, or Christmas of today.

The ham was important in Yule celebrations as a result of the pagan god Freyr. According to the Encyclopedia Britannica, Freyr is “the ruler of peace and fertility, rain, and sunshine and the son of the sea god Njörd” (The Editors of Encyclopædia Britannica, 2016). Freyr’s mother is his father’s sister. The pig was sacrificed to this pagan god. The pagan god Freyr is said to ride around on a boar by the name of Sónargǫltr, which means “atonement-boar.”

Other popular traditions of the winter solstice include holly, mistletoe, and nativity scenes. The holly was a sacred plant for the Romans to their god, Saturn. They also thought having the plant around brought them good luck. At this time of the year, the plant is at its greenest. They would tie this plant into a wreath and hang it at the front of their houses, as people do today. The mistletoe is one of the major symbols of Paganism. When Paganism was the dominant religion of Europe, people would hang the mistletoe in areas where they congregated. The belief was that this plant had magical powers. They thought that the plant, among other things, would protect them from evil spirits and bring them good luck. It was also a symbol of fertility, as it was thought that the plant made people and animals more fertile (Perry, 2016). Today, this plant is still viewed as sacred. Couples are expected to kiss, if they meet under the mistletoe. Having nativity scenes is nothing short of idolatry. An idol is a greatly loved or admired person, place, or thing that is used to bring to remembrance a god. The God of Heaven, the God of the Hebrews, YHWH, hates idols. YHWH through the second commandment told the Hebrews: do “not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth” (Exodus 20:4, King James Version). In addition to that, those scenes go back to ancient times when scenes were created in honor of Nimrod, Seramesis, and Tammuz. The same scenes are replicated throughout the world to represent the god’s of various nations.

Grand Birthday Celebrations

Why is the birth of Jesus celebrated in such a grandiose way if there is no Biblical basis for it? The few examples of birthday celebrations in the Bible, especially the ones after the death of the Messiah, do not support the idol-filled celebrations of today. All those celebrations involved the enemies of the Hebrews. For example, in true heathen fashion, the head of John the Baptist was requested as a birthday present on Herod’s birthday to present to his daughter as a gift for her dance routine (Mark 6:21-24; Matthew 14:6-14:9, King James Version). Pharaoh had one of his servants hanged on a tree. The man was left there to be eaten by birds. This was on the same day Pharaoh had a great feast to celebrate his birth (Genesis 40:1-40:23). In the book of 2 Maccabees, we read that the Hebrews were compelled to partake in pagan traditions while they were under Greek occupation. During this occupation, it was illegal for Hebrews to keep the commandments, even the Sabbath. They were forced to celebrate their oppressor’s birth, every month. Some were forced, particularly elders and leaders, to eat pork at these feasts as a punishment (2 Maccabees 6) and as a way to encourage others to break the laws.

Conclusion

In closing, it is evident that winter solstice celebrations (Saturnalia, Koliada, Christmas, Yule, Karachun, etc) are all one of the same. When man was scattered from Babylon, the tradition of sun worship was exported around the world. It is one of the most pagan of celebrations on the yearly calendar. Nowhere in the Bible were Hebrews, such as the apostle Paul, seen celebrating the birth of a baby Messiah, or anyone for that matter. Nowhere in the scriptures can any righteous Hebrew be seen exchanging gifts left under a Christmas tree. Nowhere in the word can a righteous Hebrew be seen eating abominations such as ham. As we enter into the season of dark celebrations, it is important to know what you are truly celebrating. As the Hebrew scripture states, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children” (Hosea 4:6, King James Version). It is imperative for all peoples to get to the root of all things. It can be seen that despite the nation, there appears a common theme on the winter solstice: the celebration of light, fertility, and new beginnings in the dead of winter. Every aspect of mainstream Christmas traditions go all the way back to pagan roots; the exchanging of gifts, the feasting, the music, the decorations, and especially decking an evergreen in the middle of winter are as pagan as they come. The Jesus of the Bible (Yahushua) was never in Christmas.

References

Fox, S. (2016). Celebrating Winter Solstice. Retrieved from Circle Sanctuary: https://www.circlesanctuary.org/index.php/celebrating-the-seasons/celebrating-winter-solstice
Gasparini, E. (2016). Slavic religion. Retrieved 2016, from https://www.britannica.com/topic/Slavic-religion#ref533471
Hawkins, P. (2013). Bad Santas: Disquieting Winter Folk Tales for Grown-Ups. Simon & Schuster UK.
Hillerbrand, H. J. (2015, May 13). Christmas. Retrieved from Encyclopedia Britannica: https://www.britannica.com/topic/Christmas
Kaldera, R., & Krasskova, G. (2012). Neolithic Shamanism: Spirit Work in the Norse Tradition. Destiny Books.
Perdue, T. H. (2013). Mashiah Versus Anti-Mashiah. In T. H. Perdue, Mashiah Versus Anti-Mashiah. AuthorHouse.
Perry, L. P. (2016). MISTLETOE MYTHS AND MEDICINES. Retrieved 2016, from MISTLETOE MYTHS AND MEDICINES University of Vermont Extension: http://pss.uvm.edu/ppp/articles/mistlmyths.html
Pesznecker, S., & Llewellyn . (2015). Yule: Rituals, Recipes & Lore for the Winter Solstice (Llewellyn’s Sabbat Essentials). Llewellyn Publications.
The Editors of Encyclopædia Britannica. (2016). Freyr: Norse Mythology. Retrieved from Encyclopædia Britannica: https://www.britannica.com/topic/Freyr
Trimm, J. (2016). WHAT IS A CHRISTMAS TREE? Retrieved from Fossilized Customs: http://www.fossilizedcustoms.com/christmastree.html
Womack, M. ( 2003). Sport as Symbol: Images of the Athlete in Art, Literature and Song. McFarland & Company.
Zdan, T. (2009). Only A Few. Xlibris Corporation .

The History of Halloween

Updated: March 6, 2022 by Floyd Brooks Leave a Comment

The True History of Halloween

Halloween is strictly a pagan custom and has nothing to do with the God of Heaven or the Hebrew bible. It is a Pagan celebration of the bountiful harvest, superstitions, and rituals. Modern pagans celebrate this, even to this day. Modern Christianity has incorporated many of these rituals into their list of celebrations and has ignored appointed holy dates listed in the bible. According to the encyclopedia Britannica, Samhain is described as “one of the most important and sinister calendar festivals of the Celtic year” (Britannica, 2016). Halloween is a direct descendant of Samhain. Samhain means Summer’s End. This day, October 31 is Halloween; a day of celebration for Wiccans and other pagans. It is known as November Eve, Hallowe’en, Feast of Souls or the Feast of the Dead. (Britannica, 2016).

When did Halloween Begin?

What is celebrated as Halloween today predates modern Christianity. It is an ancient Western European celebration. It dates back to an ancient Celtic festival known as Samhain. This festival marked the end of the harvest season and the beginning of the winter season (new year). The Celts marked the beginning of seasons with festivals. The festivals took place on the eve of the seasons. For summer, they celebrated Imbolg. This marked the beginning of spring. Beltane marked the beginning of summer. Lughnasa marked the beginning of fall, or the harvest season.

What does Samhain Entail?

Samhain is a celebration to honor the dead, even animals. Bonfires are an integral part of Samhain rituals. During this festival, the souls of the dead are thought to return to visit their former homes and dwell among the living. The bonfires are used to ward off evil spirits. People would wear disguises, such as masks, to hide from ghosts. As a result of the masks and rituals, the festival is now associated with “witches, hobgoblins, fairies, and demons” (Britannica, 2016). After their conquest of the Celts, the Romans added their own festivals. These festivals include Feralia and Pomona. Feralia idolizes the dead. Pomona, the goddess of the harvest, is honored as well. These festivals involved large gatherings. These gatherings involved horse races, fairs, markets, assembly rites, political discussions, and ritual mourning for the passage of summer (SacredFire, 2016).

How did Samhain Become Halloween?

Christianity did, as it often did, incorporate pagan rituals to win the hearts of the locals. Samhain was no different. Pope Boniface IV designated November 1, “All Saints Day”. This day was set aside to honor dead saints and martyrs. The day before all saints day, October 31, was declared “All Hallows Eve”. This is where the word Halloween comes from. The church also made November 2 a ‘holy’ day. This day was called all souls day. This day was used to honor the dead. All three celebrations are now rolled into one celebration known as Hallowmas.

Samhain (Halloween) Today

Halloween Mexico (Credit: Travel Channel)

In mainstream societies where Halloween is celebrated today, traditional Samhain customs are still celebrated under the guise of ‘trick-or-treat’, the wearing of costumes (dressing up), and jack-o-lanterns.

Trick-or-treating is an evolution of All Souls’ Day. During this celebration, the poor walked around and begged for food. The recipients would promise to pray for dead relatives of those who gave them food. This food was in the form of pastries. These pastries were called “soul cakes”. Eventually these sweet treats turned into candies today.
As mentioned earlier, a Samhain ritual involved dressing up in disguise to confound the ghosts that they believed surrounded them. They placed food at their doorways to prevent unwanted ghosts from entering their homes.

Jack-o-Lanterns is the name given to Jack O’Lantern of the Irish myth. The Jack O’Lantern is one of the most recognizable aspect of Halloween today. It has been shown that the Irish did not have pumpkins to carve during Samhain; instead, they carved potatoes, turnips, and beets.

carved-turnip — Credit: homeschoolie.blogspot.com/

In closing, Halloween is the most important day on the pagan calendar. This day is used to pay homage to their dead ancestors, familiar spirits, and mythical deities. However for countless others, it is a day to dress up and have fun.

References

Britanica. (2016). Samhain. Retrieved from Encyclopedia Britanica: https://www.britannica.com/topic/Samhain

SacredFire. (2016). Celtic Festivals. Retrieved from Sacred Fire: http://www.sacredfire.net/festivals.html

Wigington, P. (2016). About Religion. Retrieved from About.com: http://paganwiccan.about.com/od/samhainoctober31/