The symbolism of today's autumnal equinox

Brace yourselves: longer nights are coming.

 

At precisely 4:21 p.m. (Philippine Time) today, September 23, the Sun will be directly above the Earth's equator. Both day and night will be of equal length, hence the name of today's event: the autumnal equinox. 

 

In the days to come, the balance between light and dark will change in favor of the longer, colder nights we've come to associate with the Christmas season.

 

The night will be at its longest on December 22 this year, the Winter Solstice. This is the turning point after which the days will once again grow longer until day and night are of equal length once again, on the Spring Equinox on March 20, 2016.

 

It's believed that Jesus' birth was arbitrarily set on December 25, just a few days after the Winter Solstice, when the shift between day and night becomes noticeable—symbolic of the messianic promise of a brighter future.

 

Today's equinox may thus be seen as the last "good day" of the year before things necessarily "get worse" so as to prepare us for better days to come.

 

The celebration of astronomical events in a religious context isn't relegated to Christianity alone: Judaism, Islam, and other religions also hold traditions based on the regular movements of the skies. — GMA News