The Halo
The halo or nimbus is associated with Christianity, with Jesus, Mary, the apostles and saints, and some luminaries of the Old Testament depicted with a radiant light emanating above their heads in paintings, tapestries, stained glass, and on statues and basilisks. The halo, also called a nimbus or an aureole predates Christianity and was present in the works of the ancient pagan civilizations centuries before it appeared as a symbol of the holiest of the Christian sect. In Asian depictions, it is sometimes presented as flames arising from and around the head, and it appears in Hindu and Buddhist works.
It is sometimes referred to in the writings of ancient pagans, including Homer of the Ancient Greeks, who described the light above the heads of warriors in battle in The Iliad. The Colossus of Rhodes was crowned with an aura reflecting a type of halo, which was centuries later copied to crown the Statue of Liberty by its French designers. Sumerian writings refer to the glow emitted through the crown of the gods and human heroes, as well as the temples dedicated to them. Roman frescoes depict many haloed figures, as does some coinage which survives, and by the time of Jesus the Roman Emperor was often depicted as haloed.
The halo was thus in use by the pagan religions and cultures long before it appeared in Christian symbolism, another pagan practice which was absorbed by the Christian culture. Not until the fourth century CE did it appear in Christianity, and when it did it was limited to Jesus of Nazareth. In medieval art, Jesus was often depicted with a cruciform halo, with a cross within the aura of the halo, a practice which began as the use of a halo spread to others of the early Christian church. During the fifth century angels appearing in Christian art began to wear halos, which soon spread to depictions of the saints and martyrs of the early Church.
By the fifteenth century, the use of full halos in paintings declined, forced out by the increasing realism practiced by artists. Rather than depicting a full aura emanating from the head and shoulders of the subject, artists began to place a ring above the head, indicating the nimbus. The paintings of Jesus began to lose the cruciform halo, which was replaced with the simple ring, usually golden, above the head. During the Renaissance, halos were often dispensed with entirely, and the subject of the painting was situated in a manner by which natural light could be displayed as coming from behind the subject, another nod to realism.
Like many other symbols of Christianity, the halo was borrowed from the pagan – that is, non-monotheistic – religions which it purported to replace. As it expanded, Christianity used the traditions, festivals, rituals, and symbols of those converted to it, largely to make conversion easier and less threatening to the leaders and traditionalists of the people. As a result, the holidays and traditions of modern Christianity are irretrievably linked to the pagan cultures of the past, handed down by generations and melded with the traditions of other pagan cultures.
Where do we find this stuff? Here are our sources:
“Sacred Folly: A New History of the Feast of Fools”, by Max Harris, 2011
“The Legends of the Jews Vol. 1 Chapter 2, ‘The Soul of Man'”, by Louis Ginzberg, 1909
“Christmas: A Candid History”, by Bruce David Forbes, 2007
“Halloween: From Pagan Ritual to Party Night”, by Nicholas Rogers, 2002
“Iconography of Christian Art Vol.1”, by Gertrud Schiller, 1971
Why Christmas – The Shepherds and Angels – The History of The Christmas Story
Christianity – What Do We Know about the Shepherds at Jesus’ Birth?
History Extra – Saturnalia: The Origins Of The Debauched Roman ‘Christmas’
Encyclopedia Britannica – St. Valentine
Retrieverman – Were Romulus And Remus Really Nursed By A She-Wolf?
The Conversation – The ‘Real’ St. Valentine Was No Patron Of Love
The New York Times – Valentine’s Day: Did It Start as a Roman Party or to Celebrate an Execution?
Oprah Daily – A Guide to How Carnival Is Celebrated Around the World
The Conversation – The Legend Of Ishtar, First Goddess Of Love And War
Your Tango – 9 Pagan Traditions You Didn’t Realize We Still Celebrate Today
History Collection – 20 Biblical Traditions Heavily Influenced by Other Ancient Cultures