[HPFGU-OTChatter] Christmas at Hogwarts (Was Re: Faith Education)

[Jennifer Boggess Ramon]

At 8:53 AM -0600 12/2/03, IggyMcSnurd wrote:
>
>2: Christmas was "moved" to not only be closer to the Pagan celebration
>of the Solstice... but also closer to the celebration of one of the gods
>(I can't remember which one) that most of the Roman Empire's soldiers
>worshipped, that was traditionally near where Christmas is.  This was
>done to be able to bring the Christian religion into these areas without
>inspiring mass riots... especially by Rome's own army... and make it
>more palatable to those groups.

Both the native Roman traditional festival to Saturn, the Saturnalia, 
and one of the celebrations of Mithras, who was imported from Persia 
by the Roman army, are in the same general calendrical area.  Of 
course, Solstice was also a sacred day for the worshippers of Sol 
Invictus, who had also been imported from elsewhere (North Africa, I 
think) as well as Yule for the Germanii and the equivalent (minor) 
celebration among the Celtic Gauls.

Perhaps they figured one extra holiday thrown in there wouldn't 
attract any attention . . .  ;)

-- 

  - Boggles, aka J. C. B. Ramon			boggles(at)earthlink.net
"It is not knowledge, but the act of learning, not possession but the 
act of getting there, which grants the greatest enjoyment. "
	- Gauss, in a Letter to Bolyai, 1808.