Chapter 20

Everything Old is New Again

Another effort to help the masses accept the form of Christianity created by
Constantine was the re-naming of the roman idols, a practice which had begun
many years earlier.

ìFinally, the ancient Romans ñ a good many of them

practitioners of a sun worshipping religion called Mithraism

ñ decided to participate [in what would become Christmas] and

thatís when the festivities really started to take shape. They

combined most of the traditions of their predecessors and

added a few of their own. First on the agenda was the

exchange of god figures ñ Jupiter for Zeus and Saturn for

Kronos. This gave them the opportunity to honor Saturn ñ

one of their most important godsÖî 1

In following with this example, the statue of Jupiter became the Apostle Peter,
the statue of the goddess holding the infant sun god became the Virgin Mary
and the baby Jesus, and various other idols took on the names of so-called
saints.

The story of Count Enrico Campello confirms this. He was once a priest, but
left the Roman Catholic Church because he would not accept the doctrine of
Papal Infallibility.

ìWhen Count Campello left the Papal church the Archbishop

of Spoleto sent a message that he wanted to see him. Upon

his arrival the Archbishop said, ëI was glad to see you in the

chapel of the Holy Images the other day, I hope you felt them

influencing you to return to the bosom of the church.í The

count replied he felt no such influence! The Archbishop

exhorted him to go to a certain Madonna and pray there and

leave a gift and if she did not help him to go to another. The

count retorted, ëIt is a shame of you, a so-called Christian

bishop, to talk to me in that way. Why, you are no better than

an old pagan who would say go to Venus and if Venus does

not help you, go to Diana.íî 2

Rome is known throughout the world as the ìCity on 7 hillsî. The site chosen
for the headquarters of the Roman Catholic Institution was on one of the Seven
Hills of Rome called Vaticanus.