{"id":6633,"date":"2011-06-03T23:52:50","date_gmt":"2011-06-03T22:52:50","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.roger-pearse.com\/weblog\/?p=6633"},"modified":"2011-06-03T23:52:50","modified_gmt":"2011-06-03T22:52:50","slug":"mithras-and-25th-december-in-franz-cumont-english-and-french","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/roger-pearse.com\/weblog\/2011\/06\/03\/mithras-and-25th-december-in-franz-cumont-english-and-french\/","title":{"rendered":"Mithras and 25th December in Franz Cumont, English and French"},"content":{"rendered":"

The great Franz Cumont, the founder\u00a0of Mithraic studies,\u00a0was not well served by his publisher.\u00a0 The latter permitted an English translation to be made, not of the whole Textes et Monumentes<\/em> — which would have been of great use — but instead\u00a0of merely the last portion of only tome 1, the Conclusions<\/em>.\u00a0 The work was published in 1903, and is online here<\/a>\u00a0and many other places.\u00a0 But the footnotes that Cumont had given to that section in the full work, rather than being augmented for a stand-alone work, were abbreviated still further.<\/p>\n

Cumont made many statements which connect Mithras, the 25 December as the late Roman festival of Sol Invictus on that date, and Christmas.\u00a0 I thought it would be interesting to explore them.<\/p>\n

A look in the English index gives this entry:<\/p>\n

Christmas, 167, 191, 196, 202.\u00a0<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

while the French\u00a0contains only the following entry (t.1, p373):<\/p>\n

Noel, plac\u00e9e au 25 D\u00e9cembre, 342, n. 4.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The entry on p.202 of the English has no connection to this subject.\u00a0 But here’s what the English translation says, on p.167:<\/p>\n

\n

Possibly the sixteenth or middle day of the month continued (as in Persia) to have Mithra for its patron. On the other hand, there is never a word in the Occident concerning the celebration of the Mithrakana, which were so popular in Asia. They were doubtless merged in the celebration of the 25th of December, for a very wide-spread custom required that the new birth of the Sun (Natalis invicti<\/em>), which began to wax great again on the termination of the winter solstice, should be celebrated by sacred festivals.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

No footnotes, notice.\u00a0 Here is the corresponding passage in Textes et monumentes<\/em>, tome 1,\u00a0p.325:<\/p>\n

\n

Par coutre, on n’entend jamais parler en Occident de la c\u00e9l\u00e9bration des Mithrakana, qui \u00e9taient si populaires en Asie. Ils avaient sans doute \u00e9t\u00e9 transport\u00e9s au 25 d\u00e9cembre, car une coutume tr\u00e8s g\u00e9n\u00e9rale voulait que la renaissance du Soleil (Natalis invicti<\/em>), qui \u00e0 partir du solstice d’hiver recommen\u00e7ait \u00e0 cro\u00eetre, f\u00fbt marqu\u00e9e par des r\u00e9jouissances sacr\u00e9es [1].<\/p>\n

1) cf. Carmen. adv. pagan<\/em>. (t. II, p. 52): Qui hibernum (hierium ms.) docuit sub terra quaere Solem<\/em>, cf. Julien (t. II, p. 66); S. L\u00e9on (t. II, p. 68,1. 4); Corippe (t. II, p. 701. – Les textes qui nous parlent de cette f\u00eate ont \u00e9t\u00e9 r\u00e9unis par Mommsen, CIL, I, 2e \u00e9d., p. 338, mais ils concernent le culte officiel de Sol Invictus<\/em>, \u00e9tabli par Aur\u00e9lien, plut\u00f4t que les myst\u00e8res de Mithra, et ne nous apprennent rien sur les rites de ceux-ci. Je note cependant que, d’apr\u00e8s un auteur syriaque, on avait coutume lumina accendere, festivitatis causa<\/em>. Sur la substitution de la No\u00eal \u00e0 cette f\u00eate, cf. infra<\/em>, ch. VI, p.342.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The statement is referenced, but only in the French,\u00a0possibly because it refers to volume 2 of Textes et Monumentes<\/em>, which does not appear in the English:<\/p>\n

\n

1) cf. Carmen. adv. pagan<\/em>. (vol. II, p. 52): Qui hibernum (hierium ms.) docuit sub terra quaere Solem<\/em>, cf. Julian the Apostate\u00a0(vol. II, p. 66); St. Leo (vol. II, p. 68,1. 4); Corippe (vol. II, p. 701. –\u00a0The texts\u00a0which tell\u00a0us about this festival have been collected by\u00a0Mommsen, CIL<\/em>, vol. I, 2nd ed., p. 338, but they concern only the official cult of\u00a0Sol Invictus<\/em>, established\u00a0by Aurelien,\u00a0rather than the\u00a0mysteries\u00a0of Mithra, and tell us nothing about the rites of the latter. But I note that, according to a Syriac author,\u00a0there was the custom to\u00a0lumina accendere, festivitatis causa<\/em>. (burn a light, because of the festival<\/em>).\u00a0On\u00a0the substitution\u00a0of Christmas for this festival, see below, ch. VI, p.342.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Note that in all of this there is nothing to justify Cumont’s claim that supposed festivals of Mithras — for which he gives no evidence — were “doubtless” (speculation) merged with the Natalis Invicti<\/em> on 25 December.\u00a0 The reference, useful as it is, gives us only access to material about the Natalis Invicti<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Here’s p.190-191 of the English:<\/p>\n

\n

… It was in the valley of the Rhone, in Africa, and especially in the city of Rome, where the two competitors were most firmly established, that the rivalry, during the third century, became particularly brisk between the bands of Mithra’s worshippers and the disciples of Christ.<\/p>\n

The struggle between the two rival religions was the more stubborn as their characters were\u00a0the more\u00a0alike, the adepts of both formed secret conventicles, closely united, the members of which gave themselves the name of “Brothers.”* The rites which they practised offered numerous analogies. The sectaries of the Persian god, like the Christians, purified themselves by baptism; received, by a species of confirmation, the power necessary to combat the spirits of evil; and expected from a Lord’s Supper salvation of body and soul. Like the latter, they also held Sunday sacred, and celebrated the birth of the Sun on the 25th of December, the same day on which Christmas has been celebrated, since the fourth century at least<\/strong>. …<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

All these very controversial claims are given with but a single footnote:<\/p>\n

\n

*I may remark that even the expression “dearest brothers” had already been used by the sectaries of Jupiter Dolichenus (CIL, VI, 406 = 30758: fratres carissimos et conlegas hon<\/em>[estismos<\/em>]) and probably also in the Mithraic associations.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

We need hardly remark that such an expression might be used quite naturally in many forms of association, without any necessary reference to Jupiter Dolichenus, Mithras, Jesus, or indeed Noggin the Nog for all we know.<\/p>\n

On p.339 of Textes et Monumentes<\/em> we find the following:<\/p>\n

C’est dans la vall\u00e9e du Rh\u00f4ne, en Afrique et surtout dans la ville de Rome, o\u00f9 toutes deux \u00e9taient solidement \u00e9tablies, que la concurrence dut \u00eatre particuli\u00e8rement vive au IIIe si\u00e8cle entre les coll\u00e8ges d’adorateurs de Mithra et la soci\u00e9t\u00e9 des fid\u00e8les du Christ.<\/p>\n

La lutte entre les deux religions rivales fut d’autant plus opini\u00e2tre que leurs caract\u00e8res \u00e9taient plus semblables [2]. Leurs adeptes formaient pareillement des conventicules secrets, \u00e9troitement unis, dont les membres se donnaient le nom de “Fr\u00e8res” [3]. Les rites qu’ils pratiquaient, offraient de nombreuses analogies : les sectateurs du dieu perse, comme les chr\u00e9tiens, se purifiaient par un bapt\u00eame, recevaient d’une confirmation la force de combattre les esprits du mal, et attendaient d’une communion le salut de l’\u00e2me et du corps [4]. Comme eux aussi, ils sanctifiaient le dimanche [5] et f\u00eataient la naissance du Soleil le 25 d\u00e9cembre, le jour o\u00f9 la No\u00ebl \u00e9tait c\u00e9l\u00e9br\u00e9e, au moins depuis le IVe si\u00e8cle [6]. <\/strong><\/p>\n

2) Dom Martin insiste d\u00e9j\u00e0 sur nombre de ces analogies dans son Explication de divers monuments singuliers<\/em>, 1739, p. 271 ss.
\n3) Minut. Felix, c. 9, \u00a7 9l, cf. supra<\/em>, p. 318, n. 4, et Waltzing, Corporations profess<\/em>. I, p. 329, n. 3.
\n4) Cf. supra<\/em>, p. 319 ss.
\n5) Cf. supra<\/em>, p. 119 et p. 325, n. 12. Le rapprochement a \u00e9t\u00e9 fait dans l’antiquit\u00e9, cf. Tertull, Apol<\/em>., 16; Ad nationes<\/em>, 13. — Il ne peut pas cependant y avoir eu d’action du mithriacisme sur le christanisme, car la substitution du Dimanche au sabbat date des temps apostoliques.
\n6) Cf. infra<\/em>, p. 342, n. 4.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Again we have many more notes; but for the main claim, only note 6 “See below, p.342, n.4”.<\/p>\n

On p.195-6 of the English we find the following:<\/p>\n

\n

We do not know whether the ritual of the sacraments and the hopes attaching to them suffered alteration through the influence of Mazdean dogmas and practices. Perhaps the custom of invoking the Sun three times each day,\u2014at dawn, at noon, and at dusk,\u2014was reproduced in the daily prayers of the Church, and it appears certain that the commemoration of the Nativity was set for the 25th of December, because it was at the winter solstice that the rebirth of the invincible god,* the Natalis invicti, was celebrated<\/strong>. In adopting this date, which was universally distinguished by sacred festivities, the ecclesiastical authority purified in some measure the profane usages which it could not suppress.<\/p>\n

*See above, p. 167.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

And on p.342 of the French this:<\/p>\n

\n

Nous ignorons si le rituel des sacrements et les esp\u00e9rances qu’on y attachait, ont pu subir en quelque mesure l’influence des pratiques et des dogmes mazd\u00e9ens. Peut-\u00eatre la coutume d’invoquer le Soleil trois fois chaque jour, \u00e0 l’aurore, \u00e0 midi et au cr\u00e9puscule, a-t-elle \u00e9t\u00e9 reproduite dans les pri\u00e8res quotidiennes de l’\u00c9glise [3], et il para\u00eet certain que la comm\u00e9moration de la Nativit\u00e9 a \u00e9t\u00e9 plac\u00e9e au 25 d\u00e9cembre parce qu’on f\u00e9tait au solstice d’hiver le Natalis Invicti, la renaissance du dieu invincible [4]<\/strong>. En adoptant cette date, qui \u00e9tait universellement marqu\u00e9e par des r\u00e9jouissances sacr\u00e9es, l’autorit\u00e9 eccl\u00e9siastique purifia en quelque sorte des usages profanes qu’elle ne pouvait supprimer.<\/p>\n

3) Usener, Gotternamen<\/em>, p. 186, n. 27. Cf. cependant Duchesne. Origines du culte chr\u00e9tien<\/em>, 2e \u00e9d. p. 431 s.
\n4) Le premier qui ait mis ce fait en lumi\u00e8re, est Philippe del Torre (Mon. veteris Antii<\/em>, p. 239 ss.) et non, comme on le dit d’ordinaire, Wernsdorf, De origine solemn. natalis Christi<\/em>, Wittenberg, 1757. – Les principaux textes sont r\u00e9unis par Mommsen, CIL, I 2e, p. 338. D’apr\u00e8s un extrait que me communique M. Boll, le calendrier de l’astrologue Antiochus (Monac. gr.<\/em>, 287, f. 132), donne au 25 d\u00e9cembre l’indication: H(li\/ou gene\/qlion: C’est le plus ancien t\u00e9moignage que l’on poss\u00e8de, et il est tr\u00e8s important pour d\u00e9terminer l’origine de la conception paienne (cf. Macrobe, I, 18, \u00a7 10). Sur l’histoire de sa transformation, cf. Usener, Das Weihnachtsfest<\/em>, I, 1889, p. 214 ss. – Un passage r\u00e9cemment d\u00e9couvert du commentaire d’Hippolyte sur Daniel (IV, 23, p. 243, \u00e9d. Bonwetsch, 1897), donne d\u00e9j\u00e0 la date du 25 d\u00e9cembre pour la naissance du Christ, mais peut-\u00eatre est-il interpol\u00e9 (Hilgenfeld, Berl. Phil. Woch.<\/em>, 1897, p. 1324 s.). Il est certain que cette date, pour la c\u00e9l\u00e9bration de la Noel, fut fix\u00e9e \u00e0 Rome par le pape Lib\u00e8re en 354, et qu’elle fut adopt\u00e9e plus tard en Orient. – Diverses f\u00eates paiennes marquaient l’\u00e9poque du solstice d’hiver; cf. Epiphan. Adv. haeres<\/em>, t.II (t. II, p. 482 ss., \u00e9d. Dindorf).- M. Duchesne (Origines du culte chr\u00e9tien<\/em>, 2e \u00e9d., p. 250 ss.), propose une explication nouvelle du jour choisi pour la Noel. On y serait arriv\u00e9 par des calculs chronologiques en partant de la date du 25 mars, que l’on croyail \u00eatre celle de la mort du Christ. Cette explication n’exclut pas la premi\u00e8re. – Cf. aussi infra<\/em>, note additionnelle C.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

The shoddy note in the English replaces a detailed note by Cumont, in which he gives details of reasons to suppose that Christmas replaces the Natalis Invicti<\/em>.\u00a0 Whether this argument is well-founded is not our present concern; we need merely note that Mithras is not mentioned anywhere in all of this, nor in the sources.\u00a0 Nor, indeed, does Cumont say that it is.\u00a0 He merely introduces this material in the middle of talk about supposed Mithraic influence on the church, and allows the reader to conclude what he will.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

Let us finally look at “additional\u00a0 note C”, referenced in footnote 4 of the French.\u00a0 It appears on p.355 of tome 1, and is headed “The sun, symbol of Christ”.\u00a0 But the word “Mithra” is not mentioned at all.\u00a0 Instead it charts how the Christians came to think of sol iustitiae<\/em> and suggests connections with a solar festival on 25 Dec.<\/p>\n

The statements that Cumont makes are very positive.\u00a0 But he is merely speculating; for when he has data, he gives it, copiously.\u00a0 But no data appears indicating any connection between 25 Dec. and Mithras; and the most Cumont can say is “probably”, “doubtless”.<\/p>\n

I confess to finding no probability, and doubting entirely.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The great Franz Cumont, the founder\u00a0of Mithraic studies,\u00a0was not well served by his publisher.\u00a0 The latter permitted an English translation to be made, not of the whole Textes et Monumentes — which would have been of great use — but instead\u00a0of merely the last portion of only tome 1, the Conclusions.\u00a0 The work was published […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_seo_schema_type":"","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_hide_featured_image":false,"_jetpack_featured_image_duplicate_dismissed":0,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[19],"tags":[1142],"class_list":["post-6633","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-from-my-diary-announcements","tag-mithras"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/roger-pearse.com\/weblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6633","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/roger-pearse.com\/weblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/roger-pearse.com\/weblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/roger-pearse.com\/weblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/roger-pearse.com\/weblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6633"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/roger-pearse.com\/weblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6633\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/roger-pearse.com\/weblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6633"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/roger-pearse.com\/weblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6633"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/roger-pearse.com\/weblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6633"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}