For Eugene, Oregon, on the occasion of the Winter Solstice

Presenter: To introduce the Winter Solstice ceremony at Eugene’s First Christian Church, Pagan elder Oberon Zell-Ravenheart.

Oberon Zell-Ravenheart: As the great wheel of the year turns another cycle, we come around again to Winter Solstice—the longest, darkest, coldest night of the year—after which the sun begins its return.

The Norse called it Jól, meaning wheel. This is the most universally celebrated of all seasonal festivals in the northern countries, commemorating the rebirth of the infant son from the womb of night.

It was the birthday of sun gods Horus, Apollo, Attis, Tammuz, Mithra, Krishna, Dionysus, and eventually, Jesus.

Throughout the long night of Solstice Eve, the story is played out astronomically in the successive helical rising of the stars. First, the three stars of Orion’s Belt called the Three Kings. They point to the rising point of Sirius, the brightest star in the eastern sky, the brightest star in the heavens, the star in the east, and that point on the horizon in turn marks the rising point of the newborn sun on Solstice morning.

Cheerful unidentified woman: Winter Solstice is called the ‘Festival of Lights’ for all the candles and colored lights in the houses and neighborhoods.

In ancient Rome, it was called Natalis Solis Invicti, the Birthday of the Unconquered Sun, and it took place during the longer midwinter festival of Saturnalia, from which we got our New Year’s image of Old Father Time, who was Saturn as the grim reaper with his harvesting scythe. 

Oberon Zell-Ravenheart: Yule was the first Pagan festival to be Christianized. In 354 CE when the birthday of Jesus was declared to be officially commemorated on the date of the winter solstice, which was then Dec. 25, and it was named Christ’s Mass.

But the Bible (according to Luke 7:36) says that Jesus was six months younger than John the Baptist, and he was born around Passover, which would’ve been April 11 in 4 BCE.

So Jesus would probably have been born during that year’s Feast of the Tabernacles, which would’ve been Oct. 6-13. 

Cheerful unidentified woman: The many customs associated with Christmas and Yuletide—the candles, lights decorated evergreen trees, holly, pine boughs, Yule logs, wreaths, mistletoe, gift-giving, decorating, caroling, wassail, reindeer, etc., are all Pagan and have nothing to do with the birth of Jesus, to say nothing of Santa or Rudolph or Frosty or Jack Skellington.

Oberon Zell-Ravenheart: There is no record of Christians decorating their homes with evergreens, holly, ivy, and Christmas trees before 1605. But by 1644, these traditional Pagan customs had become so widespread and popular that from 1647 through 1660, Christmas was effectively outlawed in England by an Act of Parliament. Now, of course, these customs are ubiquitous throughout the world.

Cheerful unidentified woman: So we wish you tonight and through this coming season: Merry Christmas, … (greetings) …, Auspicious Dongzhi, Joy To The World, and—

Both: Happy holly-days everyone.

Presenter: On the occasion of a solstice celebration with both Christian and Pagan rites, Oberon Zell-Ravenheart reminds us—across time, cultures and languages—we all share the same stories.