Mid-morning, and a matter of timing.
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In 46 BCE Julius Caesar in his Julian calendar established December 25 as the date of the winter solstice of Europe. Since then, the difference between the calendar year (365.2500 days) and the tropical year (~365.2421897 days) moved the day associated with the actual astronomical solstice forward approximately three days every four centuries, arriving to December 12 during the 16th century. In 1582, Pope Gregory XIII decided to restore the exact correspondence between seasons and civil year but, doing so, he did not make reference to the age of the Roman dictator, but to the Council of Nicea of 325, as the period of definition of major Christian feasts. So, the Pope annulled the 10-day error accumulated between the 16th and the 4th century, but not the 3-day one between the 4th AD and the 1st BC century. This change adjusted the calendar bringing the northern winter solstice to around December 22. Yearly, in the Gregorian calendar, the solstice still fluctuates a day or two but, in the long term, only about one day every 3000 years.
From: Wikipedia
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The irony, to me, is that Julius Caesar inadvertently established the date for Christmas, and that modern commercial tradition is that we still “give unto Caesar all that which is Caesar’s”. As Jimmy Buffet has said in song, “there’s a thin line between Saturday night and Sunday morning.”
My friend Doug Goss reminded me yesterday of Solstice with an article in the Huffington Post: Religion of which I am posting an edited selection.
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The winter solstice is celebrated by many people around the world as the beginning of the return of the sun, and darkness turning into light. The Talmud recognizes the winter solstice as "Tekufat Tevet." In China, the "Dongzhi" Festival is celebrated on the Winter Solstice by families getting together and eating special festive food.
Until the 16th century, the winter months were a time of famine in northern Europe. Most cattle were slaughtered so that they wouldn't have to be fed during the winter, making the solstice a time when fresh meat was plentiful. Most celebrations of the winter solstice in Europe involved merriment and feasting. In pre-Christian Scandinavia, the Feast of Juul, or Yule, lasted for 12 days celebrating the rebirth of the sun god and giving rise to the custom of burning a Yule log.
In ancient Rome, the winter solstice was celebrated at the Feast of Saturnalia, to honor Saturn, the god of agricultural bounty. Lasting about a week, Saturnalia was characterized by feasting, debauchery and gift-giving. With Emperor Constantine's conversion to Christianity, many of these customs were later absorbed into Christmas celebrations.
One of the most famous celebrations of the winter solstice in the world today takes place in the ancient ruins of Stonehenge, England. Thousands of druids and pagans gather there to chant, dance and sing while waiting to see the spectacular sunrise.
From: huffingtonpost.com – winter-solstice-2011
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I can’t help but think of Joseph Campbell here.
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“The night of December 25, to which date the Nativity of Christ was ultimately assigned, was exactly that of the birth of the Persian savior Mithra, who, as an incarnation of eternal light, was born the night of the winter solstice (then dated December).” [I think this is from Campbell’s Hero of 1000 Faces but I am not positive.]
From: searchquotes.com/search/Joseph_Campbell/
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I am not about debunking Christianity here. Jesus would not have been born in December in any case if historical records are correct. The point is there is more to the world than any one culture no matter whose culture it is. That’s my opinion. You are entitled to your own. But surely, in my mind, this is something that the Dead must come to realize sooner or later, at least the Dead in the Merlyn series.
I have a fitting quote here, also from song: “A horse is a horse, of course, of course.” – Amorella
Uh, oh, I feel like I’ve crossed that thin line between Saturday night and Sunday morning. Time for me to pause and reflect.
Reflecting wouldn’t hurt anyone, boy. The horsey line caused you to smile first. Humor is a good sign. No need in stopping it, young man. Post. - Amorella
You had lunch at a new place (for you), the Friendly Tavern in north Remington Beach. Basic food and good drinks – old Florida setting. Home, then to the pool for an hour and five minutes of exercise, shower and you will have leftover suppers while you watch the national news.
A good day for the shortest day of the year. No real clouds. Ohio can be so cloudy and dreary so long. I took a sunset photo – they are all spectacular in their own way – discerning the differences is half the fun. More people on the beach for the event tonight. After the sunset witnesses clapped respectfully – just like at Key West.
Winter Solstice Sunset 2011; Madeira Beach, Florida
Last night, the last thing you said was: “Boy, if you had lead that sheltered of a life I would not be here. Post. – Amorella”
I am struck by the comment because I did not consider or realize (from your perspective) that I was somewhat contingent on your being here. Do you mean this in terms of ‘cause and effect’ – that I caused you to be here? If so, this is entirely understandable. I am thinking of wish-fulfillment. I created you to be a friend, much like in the early days with Aunt Jemima. Perhaps you really are an extension of my invisible childhood friend. I would like that and hope you are saying that is the case. I can easily live with it. You are real enough from my perspective and this would lighten the imaginary spiritually conditioned load I sometimes carry in my doubts. Rarely can I say “I know”, even when the conditions are right I always think, “I don’t know anything for sure,” which is about as self-relative a statement as I am. Gallows humor is always a savior in such intimately personal considerations.
Following this through, I think if I were shocked by some sort of event and scene as a youngster, and you were invented to shelter and protect me, I think that whatever it was, was an invention of my own imagination, an accident that I perhaps misinterpreted. I cannot imagine actually witnessing something that would cause the shock within that would force me to conjure you up and build you into an inner reality. – rho
Sorry to disappoint you, boy. Sometimes you layer your imagination into three or possibly four-dimensional constructions. I am here because you once unconsciously thought you caught a glimpse of G---D, or as you might say today, caught sight of an “Angel of G---D”. The psychological complexity comes from the fact it was unconsciously ‘noted’ first and bubbled into consciousness in confusing bits. Thus, here I am to clear your view, a lighthouse if you will. – Amorella
I don’t believe you. I cannot believe such an event could actually happen. At most it is a wrong-wiring in my brain, an incalculable wrong measurement of the bio-chemistry that makes up my physical self. Alcohol. I was an excessive drinker in my younger days. At most it is highly, highly implausible.
But it is not impossible, boy. To say it is impossible is something you cannot say and will not say. Can you? – Amorella
No, I cannot. Enough for tonight, Amorella. Let’s move on to other things tomorrow. This actually hurts my stomach to think on it. If true I cannot even apologize for my rudeness. What a human dilemma, even in a fiction. I cannot imagine let alone otherwise consider what it would be like for a human being to be in such a predicament. Who could identify, who could have empathy for such a consideration? – rho
One of your characters, boy – the young hybrid, Diplomat Burroughs. – Amorella
You are kidding.
You know better (ironically). All for tonight, post. - Amorella
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