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Astronomy and Rituals
- Early astronomers, often also priests or shamans, noticed patterns in celestial movements.
- They attached significance to points like solstices and equinoxes, creating rituals and festivals around them.
Roman Winter Traditions
- The Romans adopted pre-existing winter solstice traditions, incorporating them into their holiday calendar.
- Saturnalia, a popular Roman holiday, involved feasts, moral abandonment, and gift-giving, similar to modern Christmas.
Origins of Christmas
- Christmas's date is linked to Sol Invictus, a Syrian sun god feast adopted by Romans.
- The Church, facing resistance to suppressing pagan holidays, co-opted them, transforming Sol Invictus into Christmas.