[steve-b]

He points out that the ancient Roman religions had no winter solstice festival.

Saturnalia (from the god Saturn) was the name the Romans gave to their holiday marking the Winter Solstice.

[Shermy]

"He points out that the ancient Roman religions had no winter solstice festival."

Saturnalia (from the god Saturn) was the name the Romans gave to their holiday marking the Winter Solstice.

______________________________________________

Next book he should write explains how Saturn'sDay, SunDay, and MoonDay are really not Roman at all.

/end sarcasm

[katana]

The festival of Saturnalia (approximately Dec. 17 to 23) was supposedly the most popular holiday among Romans but seems to somehow have been missed by the eminent historian Dr. Tighe.

To say that the Romans had no "Winter Solstice" festival may in a very narrow sense be true (Saturnalia was celebrated in honor of the god Saturn, not specifically about the shortest day of the year), but to claim there was nothing at that time of year for the Roman Christians to try and build a competitive holiday against is ludicrous.

[Doctor Stochastic]

Seems like World magazine isn't really the place to go to get facts on ancient history. Lack of (common) knowledge of Roman history shouldn't be a qualification to be editor. (He also omitted Mithra, also born on Dec 25.)

Of course computer people confuse Christmas with Halloween.

Dec 25 = Oct 31

[MrsEmmaPeel]

He points out that the ancient Roman religions had no winter solstice festival.

I stopped reading at that point. What was this guy smoking?