Saturn and Festival of Saturnalia

Saturn And Festival Of Saturnalia

Source : Encyclopedia Britannica

Saturn

Latin SATURNUS, in Roman religion, the god of sowing or
seed. The Romans equated him with the Greek agricultural
deity Cronus. The remains of Saturn's temple at Rome, eight
columns of the pronaos (porch), still dominate the west end
of the Forum at the foot of the Clivus Capitolinus. It
served as the treasury (aerarium Saturni) of the Roman
state. Saturn's cult partner was the obscure goddess Lua,
whose name is connected with lues (plague, or destruction);
but he was also associated with Ops, another obscure goddess
(perhaps of the earth's fertility), the cult partner of
Consus, probably a god of the storage bin.

Saturn's great festival, the Saturnalia, became the most
popular of Roman festivals, and its influence is still felt
in the celebration of Christmas and the Western world's New
Year. The Saturnalia was originally celebrated on December
17, but it was later extended to seven days. It was the
merriest festival of the year: all work and business were
suspended; slaves were given temporary freedom to say and to
do what they liked; certain moral restrictions were eased;
and presents were freely exchanged. The weekday Saturday
(Latin Saturni dies) was named for Saturn.

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One of the best-known festivals of ancient Rome was the
Saturnalia, a winter festival celebrated on December 17-24.
Because it was a time of wild merrymaking and domestic
celebrations, businesses, schools, and law courts were
closed so that the public could feast, dance, gamble, and
generally enjoy itself to the fullest. December 25--the
birthday of Mithra, the Iranian god of light, and a day
devoted to the invincible sun, as well as the day after the
Saturnalia--was adopted by the church as Christmas, the
nativity of Christ, to counteract the effects of these
festivals.