Sol Invictus was the official sun god of the later Roman
Empire and a patron of soldiers. In 274 AD the Roman emperor Aurelian made it
an official cult alongside the traditional Roman cults.
Celebrated near-solstice
After his victories in the East, the Emperor Aurelian
reformed the Roman cult of Sol, elevating the sun-god to one of the premier
divinities of the Empire.
Constantine decreed (March 7, 321) dies
Solis—day of the sun, "Sunday"—as the Roman day of rest (Codex
Justinianus): On the venerable day of the Sun let the magistrates and people
residing in cities rest, and let all workshops be closed.”
Constantine's
triumphal arch was carefully positioned to align with the colossal statue of
Sol by the Colosseum.
Celebration
included religious rites and public business was suspended. Even slaves were supposed to be given some form of rest. Family
and community celebrations were held.
Within
the city of Rome, the priests were not allowed even to see work done.
Sol
Invictus played a prominent role in the Mithraic mysteries, and was equated with Mithras.
A mystery religion of the god Mithras practiced in the Roman Empire from about the 1st to the 4th century.
Mithras
was born from a rock emerging already in his youth on December 25 (date
contested by some)
Key
imagery includes Mithra slaughtering a sacred bull while being watch by Sol who
he then shares food with.
There
are no written records of this religion, so all information has been
interpreted by archeological evidence.
By
some, Mithraism has sometimes been viewed as a rival of early Christianity with similarities such as liberator-saviour, hierarchy (bishops, deacons,
presbyters), communal meal and a hard struggle of Good and Evil
(bull-killing/crucifixion).
Mithraism
declined with the rise to power of Christianity,
Early
Christian apologists noted similarities between Mithraic and Christian rituals,
but nonetheless took an extremely negative view interpreting Mithraic rituals
as evil copies of Christian ones.
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