Saturnalia

Chapter 13

Saturnalia, held in December, is an ancient Roman *pagan festival honoring the agricultural god, Saturn. Because this holiday was celebrated so closely to the winter solstice, Saturnalia celebrations are now the source of many of the traditions we now associate with Christmas, such as wreaths, candles, feasting, and gift-giving.

The Romans celebrated Saturnalia similar to the way we celebrate Christmas. They would suspend schools and their work, their houses would be decorated with greenery, and they would wear colourful clothes known as synthesis.

Even those who were enslaved did not have to work during Saturnalia, but were allowed to partake in festivities. Instead of working, the Romans would spend the holiday gambling, singing, playing music, feasting, socialising, and giving each other gifts. A popular gift at the time was **cerei, as it would symbolise light returning after the solstice.

On the last day of Saturnalia celebrations, known as the Sigillaria, many Romans would give their friends and loved ones small terracotta figurines known as Signillaria. This may have referred back to older celebrations that involved human sacrifice.

Now, how did this holiday lead to Christmas?

During this period, pagans and Christians co-existed (though not always very peacefully). Christians wanted the last of the pagans to convert to Christianity and accept it as Rome’s official religion.

When Emperor Theodosius I issued the Edict of Thessalonica in 380 CE (stating that ***Nicene Christianity was Rome’s official religion), they began to get accustomed to combining Saturnalia’s traditions with the ones of Christmas. Of course, Christmas had been celebrated before then, but it was now adapting because the holidays were so close.

Many common Christmas celebrations stemmed from Saturnalia!

Saturnalia was one of the jolliest holidays celebrated on the ancient Roman calendar! Roman poet Catullus described it as “the best of times."

I hope you felt the same reading this article. Farewell!

Written by Daphne Clarke.
Edited by Hazel Antler.
Proofread by Ivy Dewdrop.

*Term that relates to the practice of polytheism—to worship more than one god or not believe in religion.
**Latin translation for candles. At the time, wax taper candles were the ones most commonly given.
***A term for Christian denominations that adhere to the Nicene Creed, formulated in 325 AD.