The traditions of the Holy Roman Apostolic and Catholic Church are the conglomeration of ancient pagan rituals and Christian faith. One pagan practice incorporated in the faith is the veneration of relics, statues, and images. The hierarchy of the clergy is also patterned on the bureaucratic organizational structure of the ancient
Roman Empire.
One of the titles of the pope is
Pontifex Maximus, the highest priesthood office of ancient Rome. The Roman emperor later adopted this title. Most Catholic festivals are also held to replace the former pagan festivals.
The celebration of Christmas, for instance, in December 25 is actually the former pagan festival of the Roman sun god, Mithra. Christmas celebration around the world is heavily influenced by
Italian religious traditions. Italians open their gifts on the morning of Christmas, just after eating their lunch. The children, on the other hand, receive a stocking full of candies during the celebration of the Epiphany, which is celebrated on January 6 as an extension of Christmas. However, the Italian gift-giver is not Santa Claus, but a kind witch named La Befana. Meanwhile, in other regions, Santa Lucia is the bringer of gifts.
