Because the southern hemisphere celebrates the beginning of summer time, these north of the equator will expertise the shortest day of the yr, often called the winter solstice. This yr, it falls on 21 December.
The phrase “solstice” derives from sol, the Latin phrase for solar, and sistere, which suggests “to come back to a cease or make stand”.
Arriving on the identical day throughout the globe, a solstice happens when the solar reaches its lowest or highest level within the sky throughout the yr because of the Earth’s axis tilting to or away from the solar.
Traditionally, the winter solstice has been of nice significance to many cultures, corresponding to Historical Egypt and Historical Rome, usually as a marker for the passing seasons, and a potential time of rebirth.
In northern Europe, from the Faroe Islands to Estonia, Germanic peoples have lengthy celebrated the occasion, which grew to become often called Xmas.
Whereas Xmas dates again to the Norse individuals, who celebrated the solar’s rebirth for 12 days, it was additionally celebrated by Anglo-Saxon pagans.
Based on Pliny the Elder, in Britain, druid monks would mark the essential date by gathering mistletoe and sacrificing bulls – which was additionally seemingly a sensible measure to restrict the variety of mouths to feed throughout months of famine.
Along with mistletoe and 12 days of festivities, a number of Christmas traditions, corresponding to Xmas logs and adorning bushes, date again to Xmas, which have been later adopted and tailored by Christians.
However the winter solstice remains to be celebrated in components of the UK and US. The preferred annual custom sees druids, pagans and fans collect at Stonehenge to look at the solar rise.
Kaynak: briturkish.com
