This golden child in the Vatican treasury, like so many other images of the child in Roman Catholic churches, is reminiscent of the ancient worship of Tammuz as a child. Born on Dec.25, he represented the rebirth of the sun. As a pagan god-child, he was called "Baal-berith," or lord of the fir-tree. The word "yule" is a Babylonian word for infant. Dec.25 was called by the pagan Anglo-Saxons, Yule Day. Both the Egyptian and Persians celebrated the birthday of their god on Dec.25th. Other names applied to the sun-god as a child are Mithras, Horus, Isvara, Deoius, Jupiter, Plutus, Ninus, Osiris, Dionysus, Bacchus, Iacchus, Adonis, Attis, etc. All myths of child worship are a reflection of ancient Babylonian customs.   [previous document] [back to Index] [next document] [Approaching the End] .