He’s also Father Time, or the personification of time, and the two identities have been commonly merged. Who is this Saturn then who lent his name to the Saturnalia? Saturn, or Chronos in Greek, was originally said to have ruled over fellow Titans, the primordial divinities, before his son Zeus and his Olympian gang overthrew him and others. Professor, historian and philosopher Mircea Eliade referred to this phenomenon as a repetition of Cosmos winning over Chaos in mythological cosmogonies. We bury 2020, before accepting the regeneration offered by 2021 and the sun’s victory over night. Taming what we lose, or gain, in this death and rebirth process is the object of ritualistic conjurations. If our soul and being routinely die, then they never really perish (think how we go to sleep and wake up every day). Porphyry of Tyre, a Phoenician philosopher from the 3 rd century, summarized it best when he linked the Saturnalia to an emancipation towards immortality. After death, comes rebirth, and once reborn the world will grow, decline and die once more. If we think of time and history in cyclical terms like the ancients did and many Eastern cultures still do, the Saturnalia and winter solstice celebrate the eternal return of life. “If winter comes, can spring be far behind?” asked Percy Shelley. Longer and warmer days bring seeds to germinate and buds to bloom and blossom. The sun, an allegory of cosmic fire, the essence of vitality, returns to our existence after the Saturnalia. Winter light seems crispier, cruder and demands greater truth. It embodied a threshold between death and rebirth. In archaic times, it was a critical passage of symbolic and cultural value. The winter solstice, the shortest day of the year, also invites an exploration of obscurity. We’ve heard of-and for some directly experienced-seasonal affective disorder (SAD), which explains how the sun’s brief retreat impacts our mood and energy levels. I always turn to them when I feel a deep void. Myths provide the enchantment and touch of magic that have so often been missing this year. They give significance to time, and how we relate to it. Wasn’t March just yesterday, and a hundred years ago at the same time? Seasons and ancient rites anchor us. In a year of prolonged lockdowns, it’s easy to lose track of temporality altogether. People nominated a “King of the Saturnalia” (though please excuse me while I modernise tradition and nominate myself Queen in my living room to oversee the ceremonies alone). On 19 December, gifts would be exchanged. It even marked a truce period no wars could be declared during the Saturnalia (but occasional murders occurred taking advantage of the distractions). Saturnalia winter solstice free#It promoted role reversals, free speech, and libationary merriment of Dionysian proportions involving drinking, swearing and gambling, with banquets and food sacrificed to deities. It praised life, and the mysteries surrounding the sun’s disappearance from our lives. It was a time of unlicensed celebration referring to a golden age without morality and rules. “December liberty,” as Roman poet Horace called it, the best of days! The Saturnalia used to be a beloved ancient Roman pagan festival, which was held right before the winter solstice, from 17 to 23 December in the old Julian calendar. In this long and draining year, why not find consolation in the spirit of the Saturnalia as a well-deserved break from 2020? Christmas is nearly upon us, and for those observing this means smaller if not cancelled family gatherings.
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