Ancient
traditions celebrated
By DEB NICKLAY, Of The
Globe Gazette
MASON CITY - The altar was decked in holly
and evergreen. Candles were alight. Wine and food nestled nearby. Carols
were sung and bells were rung.
It was a scene reminiscent of many church services this holiday season,
except that in this case, the setting was laid for the Pagan Yule
celebration, held during the Unitarian Universalists Fellowship of North
Central Iowa gathering at the Community Kitchen of North Iowa.
Lee Briggeman, herself a Neo-Pagan, performed the ritual for a dozen or so
members and visitors at the fellowship's gathering, noting afterward that
many Christmas traditions familiar to us today are based in early Pagan
beliefs.
The custom, conducted at the time of the
winter solstice, celebrates the birth of the Sun King, whose mother becomes
the Great Mother, during the longest night of the year. Like Christmas, the
solstice is a time of celebration.
The lighting of candles and yule log symbolizes "new light and hope to the
world," Briggeman said.
Use of holly, candles, bell ringing, wine and food all played a part in the
celebration, that ended with one lighted candle, symbolizing the infant
solstice sun, being used to light all candles held by those in attendance.
The Pagan custom even comes to us through carols. The "blazing yule before
us" referred to in "Deck the Halls," is a celebration of the burning of the
ash log, lighted on the eve of the solstice, which must be kept burning for
12 hours, for good luck.
Loren Toomsen
talked about Pagan beliefs, noting the juxtaposition of those
beliefs with the Christmas story: Jesus was born just a few days after the
solstice, his entrance into the world was also considered the light of hope
in a dark world.
"But ultimately, of course, the holiday is rooted deeply in the cycle of the
year ... and it makes perfect poetic sense that on the longest night of the
winter, 'the dark night of our souls,' there springs the new spark of hope,
the Sacred Fire, the Light of the World," he said.
Whatever your beliefs, many said, "it was interesting how people looked upon
this at the time," John Wharam said. "The celebration was so important,
because they knew how important the sun was to crops - and would the sun
come back after winter? They didn't know how all that happened, and there
was probably real fear."
As with both the yule celebrations of old and the Christmas celebrations of
today, Sunday's gathering ended with song as well as the steadying force
unchanged over the centuries: food.
Potluck was served after the celebration, along with some wassail.
For more on the tradition, see the UU Web site at:
http://uufnorthiowa.org
Reach Deb Nicklay at 421-0531 or
deb.nicklay@globegazette.com
