The Winter Solstice is the day that the sun reaches it's farthest point in the southern sky. Some would say that the sun is metaphorically reborn as it begins to move back north to begin a new year. The Romans celebrated this celestial event on December 25th and Emperor Aurelian called it the birthday of the "Invincible Sun."

As chance would have it, the Christian church decided sometime in the 4th century that December 25th was probably also the birthday of the Son of God. What a coincidence, two Suns/Sons, same day. We don't use the zodiac as our calendar any more, but as we enter the Age of Aquarius, it may be interesting to note that the Christian Son just happens to have been born the first year of the astrological Age of Pisces, the 2,000 year period when the sun is in Pisces during the spring equinox. So while the sun is associated with the fish constellation and travels through the twelve zodiac signs every year, the Son is represented by the symbol of a fish <>< and travels with twelve friends.

The winter and summer solstices, along with the spring and fall equinoxes break the year into our four annual seasons. This has been represented by a cross, in or on a circle representing the cyclical wheel of the year or the sun. These "sun crosses" are frequently found in the symbolism of prehistoric cultures, particularly during the Neolithic to Bronze Age periods of European prehistory.

The sun obviously follows this four-pointed seasonal cycle in the sky perpetually as though it were stuck or even nailed to it, shining it's light down on us, enduring for the benefit of all people, growing the crops that sustained our agrarian ancestors and still sustain us today.

Anyway, it's all good cause for celebration!
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This is a high quality print of an original oil painting. It is printed with archival, pigmented inks on fine matte finish paper and lightly signed at the lower right. I put a lot of time into making sure my prints look great and I get lots of compliments on them!

Measures 12 x 12 inches plus a half inch white border. Shipped rolled and well protected inside a tube by USPS mail.

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