The Sun in human culture

Humans have long recognized the Sun's role in supporting life on Earth "(see Organism)", and as a result many societies throughout history have paid homage to the Sun by giving it prominent roles in their religions and mythologies.

The Sun is sometimes referred to by its Latin name "Sol" or by its Greek name "Helios". The English word "sun" stems from .

In Western society

The religious significance of the Sun has its roots in the very earliest of recorded Western history. Both the ancient Greeks and ancient Romans worshipped one or more solar deities. Christianity would go on to adapt some of the characteristics of these gods into the figure of Jesus, although the direct identification with the physical Sun was not adapted.

Greek mythology

Many Greek myths personify the Sun as a Titan named Helios, who wore a shining crown and rode a chariot across the sky, causing day. Over time, the Sun became increasingly associated with Apollo. Icarus attempted to fly but the sun melted his wings.

Roman mythology

The Roman Empire adopted Helios into their own mythology as Sol. The title "Sol Invictus" ("the undefeated Sun") was applied to several solar deities, and depicted on several types of Roman coins during the 3rd and 4th centuries. The birth of "the undefeated Sun" was celebrated on the 25th of December from at least as early as 354.

Christianity

Early Christian iconography reveals Jesus as reflecting several attributes of Sol Invictus. These attributes included a radiated crown or, occasionally, a solar chariot. It is also speculated that the observation of Christmas on December 25th is derived from the pagan Sun holiday which occurred on the same date. Jesus is also considered the "Sun of Righteousness" (Malachi 4:2).

In the Americas

The Sun was also worshiped in many pre-Columbian societies in the Americas, including the Incas and Aztecs. [ [http://www.sacred-text.com Sacred scripts and descriptions at Sacred text.com] ]

In Non-Western Cultures

The worship of the Sun in the Eastern world has its historical origin in Ancient Egypt. The Egyptians identified the Sun with Ra, one of the major deities in their religion, and the visible disk of the Sun (known as Aten) was either seen as the body or the eye of Ra. The pharaoh Akhenaten established a monotheistic religion during his reign, with Aten as its central figure.

Hinduism

In Hindu religious literature, the Sun is notably mentioned as the visible form of God that one can see every day. In Hinduism, Surya (Devanagari: सूर्य, sūrya) is the chief solar deity, son of Dyaus Pitar. The ritual of sandhyavandanam, performed by some Hindus, is meant to worship the Sun. Many scripts from Hindu mythology referred sun as a King, who rides on seven horses (this is indication of seven colors from Sunlight)

Islam

In the Qur'an, the Islamic religious scripture, the Sun like other celestial objects is not endowed with any particular religious significance or symbolic meaning. Due to the widespread presence of Sun-worshiping cults in Pre-Islamic Arabia, Muslim doctrine, the Shariah forbade all prayers during the rising and setting of the Sun, to symbolically refute its divinity. Pre-Islamic Arab pagans considered solar eclipses and other celestial occurrences as omens signaling the passing of an important figure or other earthly events. However, this belief was refuted explicitly by the Prophet Muhammad in the year 632 C.E, when the death of his son coincided with a solar eclipse: "The Sun and the Moon are from among the evidences of God. They do not eclipse because of someone's death or life."Muhammad Husayn Haykal, Translated by Isma'il Razi A. al-Faruqi, "The Life of Muhammad (Allah's peace and blessing be upon him)", American Trush Publications, 1976, ISBN 0-89259-002-5 [http://www.witness-pioneer.org/vil/Books/MH_LM/campaign_of_tabuk_and_death_of_ibrahim.htm] ]

ee also

* Solar deity

References