The Roman Saturnalia
Many Modern Christmas Traditions Originated from this Festival
The Saturnalia was a Roman holiday that took place in December that celebrated Saturn as a harvest god
Many civilzations throughout history have held festivals near the Winter Solstice. In many cases, the day itself was not the reason to hold a festival and for many cultures the date was coincidental. The Roman Saturnalia occurred in late December and many traditions of the ancient Romans continue to this day.
The Beginnings and Growth of the Roman Saturnalia
According to the Dictionary of Roman Religion, the Saturnalia was originally held on the 17th of December to honor Saturn as a harvest god. The celebration started at the temple of Saturn and the Romans held a public feast in honor of the God. By the late Republic, the celebration lasted from three to seven days.
Saturnalia Traditions Get Absorbed into Christmas
The first public celebration of Christmas in the Roman Empire occurred in 336 AD, and although the Saturnalia which ran from the 17th to the 23rd had been replaced by the Feast of Sol Invictus during the third century of the current era, the tradition of the Saturnalia had been absorbed. Customs that originated in the Saturnalia that have survived to the modern day are feasting, giving of presents, and lighting of candles.
Decorating for the feast and hanging wreaths were common place practices, but Roman references to Saturnalia trees were non-existent. The earliest reference to the Chrismtas tree occurs in a story about Saint Boniface that took place in Germany in 722 CE. The legend says that Saint Boniface cut down a oak tree to prevent a pagan sacrifice and a fur tree sprung up in its place. All references to the Christmas tree place the custom centuries after the Roman Empire fell in 476 CE.
The Parts of the Saturnalia
Part of the Saturnalia festival was called the Larenetalia or Laurentalia. Although the lares were eventually included in this festival, it start out as a day to honor Accia Larentia, the legendary nursemaid of Romulus and Remus.
Although the Saturnalia is not celebrated in the West anymore with the exception of a few Reconstructionist Pagans who follow what they call the Religio Romana, its effects on Western culture and our celebration of Christmas remain. Wreaths, feasts, and the lighting of candles all continue the Saturnalia of the ancient Romans, although the modern reasons are far removed from the Pagans of the Classical World.
Sources:
Dictionary of Roman Religion. Adkins and Adkins. Oxford University Press. 1996. Oxford, England
“Lacus Curtius – Roman Religion.”
“Origin of the Christmas Tree.”
