December 22, 2004
Wednesday

Ketchikan, Alaska - With the rising of the sun Tuesday morning, the shortest day of the year had arrived bringing with it the first official day of winter and the longest night of the year. To the ancients, on midwinter's day it appeared as if the Sun and Moon stopped in their flight across the sky.

On this day, better known as the Winter Solstice, the Sun is its farthest south and it is the turning point of the year. The sun now begins anew its journey toward longer days, times of new growth and renewal of the world once again. The Romans called it Dies Natalis Invicti Solis, the Birthday of the Unconquered Sun.

In a spiritual sense, the Winter Solstice is a reminder that in order for a new path to begin, the old one must end and that spring will come again.