My understanding of the placement of John the Baptist's feastday on June 24th,
with specific reference to the solstice, is that it has to do with John's words
in the gospel of John: "He must increase, and I must decrease." After the summer
solstice, the days begin getting shorter again, i.e., they decrease until the
winter solstice, the time of Christmas, when the days begin to lengthen again. I
think also that's why Christmas was placed around the solstice. It took the
place of the Roman festival of sol invictus, and represented the return of light
to the world in the birth of Christ.
Steve Cartwright
Francine Nicholson wrote:
> > From: CA Muessig [SMTP:[log in to unmask]]
> >
> > Today, 24 June, is the feast of ...
> >
> > * the birthday of John the Baptist - it's a holiday in Quebec; salut la
> > bas!
> >
> > In relation to the feast Butler writes:
> > St Augustine remarking that the Church celebrates the festivals of
> > saints on the day of their death, which in the true estimate of things
> > is their great birthday, their birthday of eternal life, adds that the
> > birthday of St John the Baptist forms an exception because he was
> > sanctified in his mother's womb, so that he came into the world
> > sinless.
> >
> Is it known when this feast was first celebrated or established? And
> was it intentionally linked to the solstice?
>
> Francine Nicholson
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