The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1933-12-25
PAGAN ORIGIN
SEEN IN YULE
RITES Today
First God of AnCientS Was
Sun; MiStIetoe, Holly
SymboIiCaI.
SANTA WAS ST. NICK
Spirit Has Prevailed Over
War, PeStiIenCe and
Famine.
BY TRISTRAM COFFIN
Times stan Writer

Christmas, even today, is cele-
brated with a fine pagan gusto de-
spite the infusion of Christian Wor-
ship, investigation of ancient lore
reveals. The humble spirit Of mans
suffering was added to cOnsecrate
souls to the service of God.
So today as indianapolis citizens
bow before the generosity of jolly
pauched, bewhiskered Santa Claus,
the roaring yule log. the symmet-
rical evergreen tree and the sym
bolical holly and mistletoe, they re-
fleet the joyous spirit of pagan fes-
rivals.
Christmas, long before Christ had
spread His gospel throughout the
world. sprang from the robust and
spirited worship Of the sun. The
return of light, the regeneration of
the earth after the dreary days OF
winter was celebrated as the bleak
days began to lengthen and the sun
shone upon the earth. This ancient
worship of the sun-god Mithra, re-
Vived now in the cult of the nude,
, began when primitive men first felt
the chilly pangs of winter.
YuIe Log SymbOlical
The ancient Christmas tree, so
long a barbinger of good tidings,
is believed to be a relic of Saturnal-
ian orgies. Santa Claus himself
is borrowed from st. Nick, popular
throughout all Europe. The Yule
log is symbolical of the returning
warmth brought by the brilliant
suns rays. The word "yule" is de-
rived from the Scandinavian "haiul,"
meaning sun.
AS the hoary Druids pranced
about the woods of England, prac-
ticing their crude rites when the
British Isles were still barbaric ter
ritories, they Worshiped before the
mistletOe.
Christmas as a church festival did
not begin until at least $50 years
after Christ's birth when the tyrant
emperor Diocletian fired the halls
where devout Christian worshippers
were gathered to celebrate Christ
mas
Birthday of SUP
AS Christianity grew, always look
ing back with reverence to the
humble and glorious birth of the
Christ Child in Bethlehem, they at
tempted to Danish the earthly rel
les of paganiSm in the festival. They
surrounded the Mass of Christ with
hturgical observation rich in emo
tional color.
An old Syrian writer, himself
Christian, explains the fusion of the
pagan and Christian festival as, 1T
was the custom of the heather to
celebrate on the same twenty-ffth
of December, the birthday Of the
sun, at which time they kindled
lights in token of festivity.
In there solemnitieS the Chris
tians also took. part. Accordingly
when the doctors of the church per-
ceived the Christians had leaning
to that festival, they took counsel
and resolved that the true Nativity
be Solemnized on that day.
The spirit of giving originated as
the wise men riding under the silent
stars came to Bethlehem. The mod
ern Christmas banquet with the
table groaning under the burden of
turkey, vegetables, fruits and
pastries has been traced back to the
feasts given in honor of the gods
and goddeSSeS.
Gather Round Bowl
An informal addition to Christ
mas, hardening back to Saturnalian
orgies. is seen as jolly fellows gather
round the flowing bowl for induced
yule-tide cheer as the plum pudding
is brought in flaming with lighted
brandy.
Christmas has inspired the artistic
world to produce some of its great
est works. In painting there are
1.-THE Mystical Alteration of the
Child" by Botticelh. The Birth of
Christ" by Rembrandt. Holy Night"
by Correggio. and the Worship Of
the Child by Pierro della Fran
ceSca.
Through world revolutions that
shook civilization, dismal eras of
skepticiSm and frantic days of de-
preston the Christmas spirit has
ridden triumphant.
Hugh Walpole. the writer. has de-
scribed the everlasting quality of
Christmas as There is never a
Christmas eve but ones imagina-
ton is excited by the consciousness
of those hundreds of thousands of
stockings, the beating hearts behind
them. not hot, almost throttled.
waking at in the morning. the ly-
ing back and watching for the first
glimmer of light behind the cur
tain"