Happy Birthday to the Sun Gods

Ra is a former pharaoh of the Egyptian gods and the most powerful god in existence. He has four aspects: Khepri as the morning god, Ra as the day god, Khnum as the evening god, and Atum as the afternoon god. To the ancient Egyptians, he represented light, warmth, and growth making him an important god and ruling over all the other gods, humans, etc. The myths of Ra represent the sunrise as the rebirth of the sun by the sky goddess Nut, thus attributing the concept of rebirth and renewal to Ra and strengthening his role as a creator god. Ra is a Protogenos (god that emerged directly from chaos).

Shamash (Sumerian Utu) is the Mesopotamian God of the Sun and Justice. He brings light and warmth to the land, allowing plants and crops to grow. At sunrise Shamash was known to emerge from his underground sleeping chamber and take a daily path across the skies. As the sun fills the entire sky with light, Shamash oversaw everything that occurred during the daytime. He thus became the god of truth, judgements and justice. Shamash also played a role in treaties, oaths and business transactions, as he could see through deceit and duplicity. As a defender of justice, the sun god also had a warrior aspect.

Mithras (Persian-Roman) the God of Soldiers, Light, Truth, and Honor who often referred to as the soldier's god.  He is the son of Ahura Mazda, Supreme God. Mithras was a popular Roman god adopted from the Persian sun god Mithra. His name is derived from the ancient Persian (Indo-Iranian) word meaning 'to bind, contract, agreement'. Mithras, also called Mitra, was popular among the military in the Roman Empire, and the Mystery Cult of Mithras was a potent religious force during the first through fourth centuries A.D.  Major rituals included bull worship and sacrifice and a communal feast amongst “brothers” which strongly appealed to Roman legionnaires.

Helios is the Titan God of the Sun.  Helios‘s duty of driving the sun chariot and shine sunlight to the world. At the end of each night his sister, rosy-fingered Eos rises from her home in the east and, mounted on a chariot, she rides to Olympus to announce the approach of her brother, Helios. Once Helios appears Eos becomes Hemera (Day) and escorts him on his travels across the sky until, becoming Hespera, she announces their safe arrival on the western shores of Ocean. Helios is the son of Hyperion and Theia, brother of Selene, the moon, and Eos, the dawn. He is married to Rhodes, a nymph daughter of Poseidon. His Roman counterpart is Sol.

Apollo (Roman) is son of Jupiter and Latona, and twin brother of Diana, and of all the divinities in the pagan world, the chief Patron and Protector of the Polite Arts, and the most eye-catching character in theology; nor unjustly, from the glorious attributes ascribed to him, for he is the God of Sunlight, Medicine, Eloquence, Music, Poetry, and Prophecy. One of Apollo's more important daily tasks is to harness his chariot with four horses and drive the Sun across the sky. The Greeks have Helios as the God of Sun and for the Roman it was Apollo.

Sol Invictus "the Unconquered Sun" is the name of a Roman sun (sol) god popular from at least the 3rd century. Before Sol Invictus came to prominence, the Romans already had a sun god, Sol Indiges, who had been worshiped since the period of the Roman Republic.

Lugh is the great Celtic God of the Sun, and was greatly skilled at many things. His name translates as "Shining One". As a Divine Jack-of-all-trades, he was patron God to all manner of craftspeople; musicians, magicians, healers, and warriors. In looks he is youthful, fair and handsome.  Lugh is a master builder, harper, poet, warrior, sorcerer, metalworker, cupbearer and physician.  It's hard to envision anything at which Lugh does not excel.  He was venerated throughout the ancient Celtic world.

Amaterasu, her name means "Great Shining Heaven" Japanese Sun Goddess, Guardian of the Japanese people and Ruler of all deities. One of her tasks was to weave sacred robes for the gods. When Amaterasu's troublesome brother Susanowo wreaked havoc on her land, she had to hide in a cave to escape the misery. He destroyed the forests, rice paddies, and the Heavenly Weaving Hall, killing Amaterasu’s favorite weaving maiden. He sealed the cave that Amaterasu was hiding in so that no sunlight could reach the earth. The gods worriedly met to plan a way to free her. After many failures to induce her to leave the cave, the lewd dancer Uzume stepped forth. She danced so that the gods all were delighted and laughed so much that the cave shook.

Amaterasu opened the door of the cave a bit to see what was going on, and asked why they would laugh in such a grim time. Uzume said that they were happy because a new, better, more beautiful sun goddess has come to replace her. Amaterasu immediately demanded to see this goddess, and was shown a mirror. She was startled and spellbound by her own reflection long enough for the gods to drag her from the cave, and so the world was light again and there was much rejoicing.