why is christmas on december 25

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The tradition of Christmas trees goes on way too long. I have heard many Christians claim that the date of Christmas was intended to provide an alternative to pagan celebrations. That way, it became easier to convince Romes pagan subjects to accept Christianity as the empires official religion. Historian William J. Tighe offers a different view, however. Dec. 25 is the "First Day of. 'Zombie' viruses have been revived from Siberian permafrost. For others, Christmas is a time to celebrate on December 24th. "Most scholars would probably agree that this is unlikely to be earlier than AD 274, the year when [Emperor] Aurelian dedicated a new temple to Sol Invictus in Rome." Furthermore, Saturnalia could be seen as a pagan holiday foreshadowing ideas that Jesus fulfilled. In an old list of Roman bishops, compiled in A. D. 354 these words appear for A.D. 336: 25 Dec.: natus Christus in Betleem Judeae. December 25, Christ born in Bethlehem, Judea. The Christ Candle (white) is lit on Christmas Eve. One possibility is that some early Christians believed that the day of Jesus' crucifixion occurred on March 25 and they added nine months to come up with Dec. 25. Another popular belief holds that Protestant Christian reformer Martin Luther was the first to place candles in an evergreen tree. The religions most significant holidays were Epiphany on January 6, which commemorated the arrival of the Magi after Jesus birth, and Easter, which celebrated Jesus resurrection. In one view of why December 25 was chosen as the official date for Christmas, historians believe the early church wanted to link the Son of God's birth with the "rebirth of the sun," which arrives after the winter equinox. It is celebrated by the majority of Christians. Originally, Saturnalia was held on December 17th, though the festival eventually was extended until December 25. The theory that early church leaders sought to end the debauchery associated with pagan festivals is equally plausible. Dec. 25 is not the date mentioned in the Bible as the day of Jesus's birth; the Bible is actually silent on the day or the time of year when. The Feast of the Epiphany, which commemorates the three Wise Men . The Church could have chosen another date on which to celebrate the birth of Christ. Yet are such displays, and the timing of the day . It is also called Gaudete Sunday to represent the nearness of Christs coming. The Three Magi. One reason is that some people believe that the Christmas story is based on historical events that took place on December 24th. However, there are some who believe that Christmas should be celebrated on a different day. Joyful carols, special liturgies, brightly wrapped gifts, festive foodsthese all characterize the feast today, at least in the northern hemisphere. That doesnt prove that one borrowed the idea or theme from another. Two theories It's unclear exactly when and why some Christians started celebrating Jesus' birth on Dec. 25. So why is Christmas celebrated on December 25th? This is a convenient explanation, but the exact date of December 25th is for another reason entirely. The other theory, the computation hypothesis, is based on the idea that early Christians calculated Jesus' birthday by adding nine months to a day they regarded as Jesus' conception. Before the adaptation of the Gregorian Calendar, the Julian Calendar was used. The supposed connection to Christmas is based on the proximity of the two festivals to each other. December 25 is nine months after that and was, therefore, chosen as the birth date. Christmas is celebrated on December 25 and is both a sacred religious holiday and a worldwide cultural and commercial phenomenon. Nothaft has researched and written about the date of Christmas. A manuscript known as the Chronography of 354 shows the birth of Sol Invictus being celebrated on December 25. Live Science is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. In fact, both theories may be true. It serves as a reminder of Christ being the light of the world and that those who claim Jesus as their savior are to be Christs light in the world (Matthew 5:14). This day is celebrated in Scandinavia and Italy in remembrance of Lucia of Syracuse. Churches light the Hope Candle (purple) on the first Sunday of Advent. Article Images Copyright 2022 Getty Images unless otherwise indicated. Christmas is celebrated to remember the birth of Jesus Christ, who Christians believe is the Son of God. Does this mean December 25 is actually Jesus Birthday? Typically, it doesn't happen on the 25 th, but closer to December 21 st and December 22 nd. God's Birthday: Why Christ Was Born on December 25 and Why it Matters. For instance, the presence of shepherds and their sheep suggest a spring birth. He suffered in the thirty-third year, March 25th, Friday, the eighteenth year of Tiberius Caesar, while Rufus and Roubellion were Consuls. Special Christmas Edition: Augustine Thompson OP, Professor of History at DSPT, debunks popular myths about the date of Christmas and explores the biblical a. From Luke 1:5: In the time of Herod, king of Judea we see another historical reference. Cultures around the Mediterranean and across Europe observed feasts on or around December 25, marking the winter solstice. But if you see something that doesn't look right, click here to contact us! The other theory, often called the "computation" or "calculation" hypothesis, suggests that early Christians used some form of calculation to arrive at Dec. 25 as Jesus' birthday. Dan Lee Dec 5, 2021 Updated Dec 6, 2021 Dan Lee Ever wonder why Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus on Dec. 25? system wasnt established until AD 525 by Dionysius Exiguus. A very early Christian tradition said that the day when Mary was told that she would have a very special baby, Jesus (called the Annunciation) was on March 25th - and it's still celebrated today on the 25th March. The B.C./A.D. In AD 274, the Roman emperor Aurelian established the feast of the birth of Sol Invictus (the Unconquered Sun) on Dec. 25, coinciding with the winter solstice. Herod or Herod the Great ruled as the Roman-appointed king of Judea by Caesar Augustus from 37 BC to 4 B.C. In fact, Christmas Day is the least likely day of the year to be born, ranking at 366th with just over 6,500 births on average. These connections are difficult to understand given our limited knowledge of the Mithraic belief system, but they are important because they help to explain why skeptics claim the birthday of Mithras was celebrated on December 25. Column: Why is Christmas on Dec. 25? Instead, Christmas was chosen as a convenient celebratory day on the same day of a pagan holiday that celebrated the winter solstice, according to The History Channel. There are two major theories as to why Christmas is celebrated on Dec. 25. In the West, the birth of Christ was celebrated on December 25, and in the East on January 6. March 25th was also the day some early Christians thought the world had been made, and also the day that Jesus died on when he was an adult. Related: Who is Krampus, and what does he have to do with Christmas? Julius Caesar established the Julian Calendar in the Roman empire in 45 B.C. FACT CHECK: We strive for accuracy and fairness. Nothaft agreed. For that matter, why did it get chosen? After that date the days start to become longer, and thus it is at the beginning of a season of light entering the world (cf. In Duncan Steels book Marking Time, he states, the Polish historian Laurentius Suslyga was the first to suggest that Christ was born around 4 B.C.. The holiday season of Merry Christmas 2022 is just around the corner, and its preparation is in full swing. To explain why others, including Bar-Salibi, thought that the date was December 25, the scholiast claimed that "it is said" that the early Christians did this to supplant a feast day for the . Other traditions gave dates as early as mid-November or as late as March. What Is Advent: Definition & Meaning Behind Christmas Tradition, California - Do Not Sell My Personal Information. 377-398). Heres how it works. So, why do Christians celebrate the birth of Christ on December 25th? 5 Spiritual New Years Resolutions: A Philippians Bible Study. The deathblow to both the Mithras and Sol Invictus parallels is that the Chronography of 354 is the earliest mention of any pagan god being celebrated on December 25. Three Kings Day or Epiphany on January 6. In addition, early Christian leaders considered the celebration of birthdays a pagan ritual. Why is Christmas celebrated on December 25th? In AD 221, he dated Jesus's conception to March 25nine months before December 25. Most Christians today probably can't imagine Christmas on any other day than December 25. Instead we find scores of quotations from Church Fathers indicating a desire to distance themselves from pagan religions. The date of the birth of Jesus Christ is unknown but there are some possible reasons why Christmas is celebrated on 25 December. But early Christians did not celebrate his birth, and no one knows on which date Jesus was actually born (some scholars believe that the actual date was in the early spring, placing it closer to Easter, the holiday commemorating his Resurrection). The Winter Solstice is the day where there is the shortest time between the sun rising and the sun setting. According to this theory, early Christians deliberately chose these dates to encourage the spread of Christmas and . The first time the date was celebrated as Jesus' birthday was apparently in the year 336, in Rome. As the Julian Calendar slowly drifted and was eventually replaced by the Gregorian Calendar, the date of December 25 stuck, even though it wasn't . Whatever month the early Christians might have otherwise chosen would still place Christmas near some pagan celebration, and oppositional theorists would still be making the same claims. Isn't it far more likely that Annunciation is on March 25th because Christmas is on December 25th than the other way around? The Christmas Story Correlates With the Winter Solstice This is one of the most recognized reasons why Christmas Day is celebrated on December 25 th. This can be found repeatedly on the Internet. It is the feast of the birth of the Son of God. In others they appear to be two gods united as one. "There is uncertainty around both theories, but I do think the computation hypothesis has a slight edge," Bradshaw told Live Science in an email. 336 A.D. There was also a pagan festival called Saturnalia in mid-December that occurred over several days. The biggest argument against calculation is that the knowledge at the time derived from Hippocrates who declared that pregnancy lasted 8 months. The earliest celebration of Christmas, or the Feast of the Nativity, on December 25 was held in the year AD 336 in Rome. When did this day get chosen? Key Takeaways: Christmas on December 25 Christmas is the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ. The following ChristianHistoryTimeline.com article summarizes the popular theories regarding this question: When Did Christians Start Celebrating Christmas on December 25? For the first three hundred years of the church's existence, birthdays were not given much emphasis - not even the birth of Christ. 2. Christmas, the holiday commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ, is celebrated by a majority of Christians on December 25 in the Gregorian calendar. "We know too little about this feast to make confident pronouncements," Nothaft said. The problem for the skeptic is that no evidence exists to suggest that Aurelian was a Mithraist, or that he even had Mithraism in mind when he instituted the feast of Sol Invictus. Share this post However, there are many different traditions and theories as to why Christmas is celebrated on December 25th. Most Christians today probably cant imagine Christmas on any other day than December 25, but it wasnt always that way. Lange: Why is Christmas on December 25? There are three potential reasons why December 25th was selected. While these explanations of how December 25 came to be the date of Christmas are all plausible, we know one thing for sure: The evidence that this day held a special significance to Christians predates the proof of a supposed celebration of Sol Invictus or other pagan deities on that day. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. This candle declares Christs birth and that he is the prince of peace. https://www.britannica.com/story/why-is-christmas-in-december. How Can I Simplify Christmas to Focus on Jesus? December 25 is the traditional anniversary of the birth of Christ, but most scholars are unsure about the true date for Christ's birth. A father and daughter decorate a tree in anticipation of Christmas. To top it off, in 274 C.E., the Roman emperor Aurelian established a feast of the birth of Sol Invictus (the Unconquered Sun), on December 25. That the Christians chose a date so close to the winter solstice is also not proof that this was done to mimic pagan festivals. 2. What Was the Significance of the Angels at Christmas? Churches light the Peace Candle (pink or purple) is lit on the fourth Sunday of Advent. For two millennia, people around the world have been. Another reason is that some people believe that Jesus was born on December 24th. Given the great aversion on the part of some Christians to anything pagan, the logical conclusion here is that one celebration has nothing to do with the other. There is also the question of whether the feast was significant enough for early Christians to place Jesus' birth on that day. He points out that the first evidence for a feast of Annunciation comes >300 years after Christmas. What Does it Mean That Jesus Is the Reason for the Season? Ethiopian Art. Hence, the birth date was decided. The various pagan religions all had festivals spanning the calendar. The popular answer is that it is Jesus' birthday. Could they infect people? December 25 is actually the historical date of the birth of Jesus, a hypothesis . Saint Lucy Day is on December 13. The calendar change created a variety of reschedulings for religious holidays (hence why Eastern Orthodox Christians celebrate Easter on a different date than other denominations). 3, pp. The Roman Christian historian Sextus Julius Africanus dated Jesus' conception to March 25, which, after nine . One piece of evidence for this hypothesis is a third-century inscription on a statue that gives calculations for when Easter should be celebrated and has an inscription on it noting that Jesus was crucified on March 25 in the year 29, Bradshaw wrote in his article. According to popular tradition, Christmas is celebrated on December 25th to honor the birth of Jesus. His death and resurrection is what matters to the Gospel, and that was the date the early church focused on. What Is the Hopeful Message in the Hymn In the Bleak Midwinter? Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, It's unclear exactly when and why some Christians started celebrating Jesus' birth on Dec. 25. In the 3rd century, the Roman Empire, which at the time had not adopted Christianity, celebrated the rebirth of the Unconquered Sun (Sol Invictus) on December 25th. Ancient records indicate that a feast dedicated to Sol Invictus, a sun god, was. Saturnalia was held on December 17 of the Julian calendar and later expanded with festivities to December 23. In the Western church tradition, this day celebrates the visitation of the Magi from Matthew 2. However, these old theories can no longer be sustained. It is believed that it originated during the Renaissance in early modern Germany. But just how did the Christmas festival originate? Monstrous 'gorgons' survived a mass extinction, but they were a 'dead clade walking', Ancient Egyptian mummification was never intended to preserve bodies, new exhibit reveals, 'Quantum time flip' makes light move simultaneously forward and backward in time, The ultimate action-packed science and technology magazine bursting with exciting information about the universe, Subscribe today for our Black Frida offer - Save up to 50%, Engaging articles, amazing illustrations & exclusive interviews, Issues delivered straight to your door or device. At the pagan festival of Saturnalia, Romans feasted and gave gifts to the poor. No one knows for sure on what day Christ was born. It has been suggested that Christians in the 4th Century assigned December 25th as Christ's birthday (and hence Christmas) because pagans already observed this day as a holiday. She was a martyr in fourth-century Rome who brought food to Christians hiding in catacombs due to the emperor Diocletians persecution. One of the most popular theories and commonly taught explanations for why Christmas is on Dec. 25th is because the early church placed Christian holidays at times of Roman celebration to co-opt the local pagan festivals. The reference to Adam can be understood in light of another of Hyppolytus writings, the Chronicon, where he explains that Jesus was born nine months after the anniversary of Creation. It is one of the most sacred festivals in Christianity and is celebrated across the globe with a lot of joy and fervor. Although the date of Christs birth is not given to us in Scripture, there is documented evidence that December 25 was already of some significance to Christians prior to A.D. 354. Since, in the past, the focus was on the death of saints, the Nativity is not as old as Easter. Many Christmas symbols (the yule log, the tree) have some diluted pagan origin. The origins of the holiday and its December date lie in the ancient Greco-Roman world, as commemorations probably began sometime in the 2nd century. This reason, however, leaves unexplained the choice of the 6th of January (ibid., p. 261). This holiday not only marked the return of longer days after the winter solstice but also followed the popular Roman festival called the Saturnalia (during which people feasted and exchanged gifts). Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. Instead, Christmas was chosen as a convenient celebratory day on the same day of a pagan holiday that celebrated the winter solstice, according to The History Channel. The church in Rome began formally celebrating Christmas on December 25 in 336, during the reign of the emperor Constantine. Established around 220 B.C., this feast was originally celebrated on December 17. It might be a celebratory distraction to be born on a big holiday, like Christmas, but the truth is it's very rare to be born on Dec. 25, which makes those birthdays pretty special. Christmas is now celebrated by people around the world, whether they are Christians or . Nineteenth-century liturgical scholar Louis Duchesne explains that towards the end of the third century the custom of celebrating the birthday of Christ had spread throughout the whole Church, but that it was not observed everywhere on the same day (Christian Worship, Its Origin and Evolution: a study of the Latin liturgy up to the time of Charlemagne, p. 260). For example, like Jesus, Mithras was also born in extraordinary circumstances, and like Jesus, Mithras the Sun god was also worshipped on . It was proposed by several of . The answer to that question is not to be found in Bethlehem but in ancient Rome. Why is Christmas on December 25th? The day on which a saint died was considered more significant than his or her birth, as it ushered him or her into the kingdom of heaven. The usual answer to this question is that it was adjusted, like many Church feast days, to coincide with the pagan feast days, this one being the winter solstice. |. Twice a week we compile our most fascinating features and deliver them straight to you. The Christmas story provides conflicting clues. The term "Christmas" comes from the Old English Cristes Maesse, which means Christ's mass. Each December, Christians throw a collective birthday bash to celebrate the anniversary of Jesus's arrival on Earth. This would explain the discrepancies between the celebrations in the East and West. The summer solsticeafter . The early church believed that Jesus was killed either on March 26 or April 6. This idea is not limited to unbelievers. The next is that in the 3rd century, Rome, a secular community, celebrated the winter solace on the 25th. The Bible doesnt mention his exact birthday, and the Nativity story contains conflicting clues. Here are some often-repeated theories: THEORY #1 - As the Roman Empire transitioned from paganism to Christianity, Constantine or some other Roman or Christian leaders chose to replace a pagan holiday on December 25th with a Christian holiday. (December 25th + 13 days = January 7th). This article is part of our larger Christmas and Advent resource library centered around the events leading up to the birth of Jesus Christ. Each off these theories has some credence. The final theory involves a reportedly widespread idea in Jewish culture during Jesus time. Of all the deities of whom people make this claim, only three can be found to come close: Saturn, Sol Invictus (Unconquered Sun), and Mithras. NY 10036. By 300 A.D., many Christians were celebrating his birth around Dec. 25th. At the very least, it negates the claim that it can be proved from the historical record that any December 25 pagan festival predates the Christian tradition. But why is Christmas celebrated on Dec. 25? The Jews had a festival of lights. Many eastern orthodox Christians still use the Julian calendar's date for Christmas and that is why they celebrate Christmas on the 7th of January. and 4 B.C. In this way the problem of eliminating an already popular holiday would be sidestepped, thus making the Christianizing of the population easier. The feast of Sol Invictus was the attempt by the Roman emperor Aurelian to reform the cult of Sol, the Roman sun god, and and reintroduce itto his people, inaugurating Sols temple and holding games for the first time in A.D. 274. Some, including the Puritans of colonial New England, even banned its observance because they viewed its traditionsthe offering of gifts and decorating trees, for exampleas linked to paganism. But how did we reach December 25 in the first place? Despite these different theories, one thing remains constant in the Bible. December 25 became recognized as Christmas day because it provided a Christian alternative to pagan festivals related to the Roman god Saturn and the winter solstice. The Roman Christian historian Sextus Julius Africanus dated Jesus' conception to 25 March. (ChristianHistoryTimeline.com article first published March 14, 2010). December 25 is a conventional date, chosen by Christians as the birth of Jesus Christ to counter the pagan festival of the Sol Invictus, and also to superimpose other celebrations as the Jewish Hanukkah and Celtic cults linked to the astronomical calendar, or. This means that early Christians considered the date of Jesus's crucifixion to be the date of conception, noted Bradshaw. 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