EDITORIAL

We will never know when humanity celebrated Christmas for the first time, but it was a long, long time ago. For centuries man has observed that, progressively, the days were growing shorter and the nights were growing longer. The saw a sun which, little by little, succumbed to the onslaught of darkness. Later came that magical moment when the sun seemed to stop its movement on the horizon, and then, light’s victory would begin. The sun would be born again with a renewed force and from that time the day advanced on the night. Men were filled with joy and hope - after all, the sun was their life -. It stirred up noble feelings which inspired them to treat and give presents to their fellow men. The celebration of the sun’s birth is found in many ancestral cultures throughout the planet. Ancient Romans were not the exception and on the day in which the night is the largest, when the sun seems to stop, was given the name Winter Solstice (immobile sun). This occurred around December 21st. Three days later, on midnight of the 24th of this month, they would celebrate the Sol Invictus (Invincible Sun) feast. Romans celebrated the birth of the sun on December 25th with great banquets and colourful festivals and would enjoy this day with an atmosphere of thanks, warmth and good intentions. Any likeness to our Christian Christmas… is not just mere coincidence. Also today, as an inheritance of the centuries, men lay claim to a time for hope, a time for joy. Just like in those times, when the other nativity was celebrated.