December 21 is the longest night of the year, the Winter Solstice, when darkness arrives in late afternoon and lasts into the next morning. Where we live, it’s not only dark but cold. The trees are barren. The ground is frozen (or muddy). And the long winter is just beginning to creep its way to spring.
We know the astrological and scientific significance of the Winter Solstice. It’s the time when earth’s rotation causes half of the earth to be tilted as far away from the sun as it can be. The earth gets the least amount of light and warmth at this point, making December 21 the shortest day and longest night of each year in the northern hemisphere. Then slowly, things change, with more light each day.
Long before “organized religion,” ancient people celebrated the solstice. They built monuments that were giant calendars, positioned so that the sun would rise in a specific point on them on the day of the solstice. We still marvel at Stonehenge in England, Newgrange in Ireland, Machu Picchu in Peru, the temple of Karnak in Egypt, and Chichen Itza in Mexico. These massive structures were intentionally and precisely built by ancient people to celebrate the sun thousands of years before the birth of Christ.
So what does the solstice have to do with Christmas, the Christian holiday on December 25 which celebrates the birth of Jesus? It’s an interesting relationship. Jesus’ birth story is told in the gospels, and includes the various details which we associate with nativity scenes— born in a manger to Mary with her betrothed husband Joseph by her side, surrounded by animals, visited by “lowly” shepherds, hailed as king by choirs of angels, and given gifts by visiting magi who followed a bright star to find him. One noticeable fact which is lacking in biblical accounts is a date, or even a season. No one knows when Jesus was born.
The early Christians didn’t celebrate the birth of Jesus; his death and resurrection at Easter were their main focus. In the fourth century, Pope Julius I added the Feast of the Nativity to the calendar as a holy day on December 25, the date probably chosen to piggy-back on solstice celebrations to increase the likelihood that people would celebrate the new holiday.
There were many reasons this was a good fit. Christianity, like many religions, uses the imagery of light a lot. Jesus told his followers, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” Tying Jesus’ birth to the time of year when light was gradually reappearing in the darkest of times was a beautiful image which made sense to ancient people and still does to us today.
My church, Westminster Presbyterian, has for 20 years offered a Service of the Longest Night on December 21. It is a service which offers a message of hope and peace to people who may be in a dark place in their lives. We recognize that Christmas is not always a “holly, jolly” time for many people. Some are experiencing loss, pain, illness, loneliness, confusion, or despair. Some are just exhausted from the demands of work, family, and meeting the Hallmark movie expectations for a perfect home and holiday. Some want to hear a message that lifts up the countercultural side of the Christmas story, that Jesus was born to an unwed mother, surrounded by working animals and smelly shepherds, scorned by political leaders, and completely unlike what a “newborn king” was expected to be. Some come to support others who are in a dark place in their lives, knowing that we all go through dark valleys on our life journeys.
We invite everyone to come to the Longest Night Service, which will be led by Rev Joseph Tagliaferre on Saturday December 21 at 7pm. We hope it conveys the message of John 1:5 that “The light shines in the darkness and the darkness shall not overcome it.” Knowing that every day after this one will be just a little bit lighter brings hope and peace to those who need it.
We know the astrological and scientific significance of the Winter Solstice. It’s the time when earth’s rotation causes half of the earth to be tilted as far away from the sun as it can be. The earth gets the least amount of light and warmth at this point, making December 21 the shortest day and longest night of each year in the northern hemisphere. Then slowly, things change, with more light each day.
Long before “organized religion,” ancient people celebrated the solstice. They built monuments that were giant calendars, positioned so that the sun would rise in a specific point on them on the day of the solstice. We still marvel at Stonehenge in England, Newgrange in Ireland, Machu Picchu in Peru, the temple of Karnak in Egypt, and Chichen Itza in Mexico. These massive structures were intentionally and precisely built by ancient people to celebrate the sun thousands of years before the birth of Christ.
So what does the solstice have to do with Christmas, the Christian holiday on December 25 which celebrates the birth of Jesus? It’s an interesting relationship. Jesus’ birth story is told in the gospels, and includes the various details which we associate with nativity scenes— born in a manger to Mary with her betrothed husband Joseph by her side, surrounded by animals, visited by “lowly” shepherds, hailed as king by choirs of angels, and given gifts by visiting magi who followed a bright star to find him. One noticeable fact which is lacking in biblical accounts is a date, or even a season. No one knows when Jesus was born.
The early Christians didn’t celebrate the birth of Jesus; his death and resurrection at Easter were their main focus. In the fourth century, Pope Julius I added the Feast of the Nativity to the calendar as a holy day on December 25, the date probably chosen to piggy-back on solstice celebrations to increase the likelihood that people would celebrate the new holiday.
There were many reasons this was a good fit. Christianity, like many religions, uses the imagery of light a lot. Jesus told his followers, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” Tying Jesus’ birth to the time of year when light was gradually reappearing in the darkest of times was a beautiful image which made sense to ancient people and still does to us today.
My church, Westminster Presbyterian, has for 20 years offered a Service of the Longest Night on December 21. It is a service which offers a message of hope and peace to people who may be in a dark place in their lives. We recognize that Christmas is not always a “holly, jolly” time for many people. Some are experiencing loss, pain, illness, loneliness, confusion, or despair. Some are just exhausted from the demands of work, family, and meeting the Hallmark movie expectations for a perfect home and holiday. Some want to hear a message that lifts up the countercultural side of the Christmas story, that Jesus was born to an unwed mother, surrounded by working animals and smelly shepherds, scorned by political leaders, and completely unlike what a “newborn king” was expected to be. Some come to support others who are in a dark place in their lives, knowing that we all go through dark valleys on our life journeys.
We invite everyone to come to the Longest Night Service, which will be led by Rev Joseph Tagliaferre on Saturday December 21 at 7pm. We hope it conveys the message of John 1:5 that “The light shines in the darkness and the darkness shall not overcome it.” Knowing that every day after this one will be just a little bit lighter brings hope and peace to those who need it.
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