OCR Text |
Show First Observed by Romans. The observance cf January 1 as the beginning of the- year we borrow from the Romans. The first Christian emperors em-perors kept up the custom of New Year's observance, though it tolerated and afforded the opportunity for idolatrous idola-trous rites, but later the western church opposed three days' of penitence nnd fasting to the Pagan celebration of January (A. D. 487). By degrees, however, the church, in the eighth century, cen-tury, abrogated the fast, and the earlier ear-lier and more congenial jovial customs were gradually resumed and have continued con-tinued to the present. |