Saturn And Festival Of Saturnalia
Source : Encyclopedia Mythica
Saturn
One of the best-known festivals of ancient Rome was the
Saturnalia, a winter festival celebrated on December 17-24.
Because it was a time of wild merrymaking and domestic
celebrations, businesses, schools, and law courts were
closed so that the public could feast, dance, gamble, and
generally enjoy itself to the fullest. December 25--the
birthday of Mithra, the Iranian god of light, and a day
devoted to the invincible sun, as well as the day after the
Saturnalia--was adopted by the church as Christmas, the
nativity of Christ, to counteract the effects of these
festivals.
Saturn - The Roman god of agriculture concerned with the
sowing of the seeds. He is regarded as the father of
Jupiter, Ceres, Juno and many others. His wife is the
goddess Ops. Jupiter supposedly chased him away and he was
taken in by the god Janus in Latium where he introduced
agriculture and viniculture. This event heralded a period of
peace, happiness and prosperity, the Golden Age.
In memory of this Golden Age, each year the Saturnalia was
observed on December 17 at his temple on the Forum Romanum.
This temple, below the Capitoline Hill, contained the Royal
Treasury and is one of the oldest in Rome. The Saturnalia
was one of the major events of the year. Originally only one
day, it was later extended to seven days. During this
festival, business was suspended, the roles of master and
slaves were reversed, moral restrictions were loosened and
gifts were exchanged. Offerings made in his honor were done
with uncovered heads, contrary to the Roman tradition.
In contrast to his festival, Saturn himself was never very
popular. From the 3rd century on, he was identified with the
Greek Cronus, and his cult became only marginally more
popular. That he ruled over the Golden Age is an extension
to the Greek myth. Saturday is named after him.