Origins of Christmas Question

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Personally, I really like the idea that Christmas was a pagan holiday. People scream that Catholics adopted pagan holidays. I say we CONQUERED pagan holidays - we CRUSHED them and DOMINATED them and they are a mostly forgotten memory (how many people have heard of Saturnalia?)

Alas, Dec 25 seems outside the window of opportunity. Pagan holidays are not a target-rich environment on this date. C’mon - really? We missed it by a couple of days? RATS!!!

But, hey - there’s hope. Is that Dec 25 on the Julian or Gregorian calendar? Maybe with enough calendar math (and “years of confusion”) we could declare victory once again. Somebody could probably construct a sufficiently strong case…
 
James1990 said:
Hi guys! Its near Christmas and I was checking about the origins of Christmas and how they knew it was on Dec 25th. I found this link that seems to answer the question.

traditioninaction.org/religious/e031rp_PaganOrigins.html

Is this link accurate? Is traditioninaction a real Catholic Apologetic site run by recognized people?
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I am not sure but the coming of the new year was celebrated in the Roman Empire at the Dies Natalis of Sol Invictus, the “Birthday of the Unconquerable Sun,” on December 25. According to Cyprian (about 250 ad) , “De pasch. Comp.”, xix, “O quam præclare providentia ut illo die quo natus est Sol . . . nasceretur Christus.” And according to Chrysostom (about 400 ad), “del Solst. Et Æquin.” (II, p. 118, ed. 1588), says: “Sed et dominus noster nascitur mense decembris . . . VIII Kal. Ian. . . . Sed et Invicti Natalem appelant. Quis utique tam invictus nisi dominus noster? . . . Vel quod dicant Solis esse natalem, ipse est Sol iustitiæ.”
They both mention the birthday of the sun celebrated now as the birthday of Christ.
 
Tomdstone said:
I am not sure but the coming of the new year was celebrated in the Roman Empire at the Dies Natalis of Sol Invictus, the “Birthday of the Unconquerable Sun,” on December 25…
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I find it an interesting coincidence that Sun and Son sound the same in American English.
 
THE STAR OF BETHELEHEM 2007 DOCUMENTARY which you can watch on You Tube and also presented on EWTN around this time of year.

The above used a computer to take you back to how the heavens looked at the time of Christ’s birth. Very moving and very interesting.

Also consider that the feast of the Annunciation is in March followed by feast of St. John the Baptist on June 24 and six months later the birth of Christ.

Some have stated Christ was born in March.

The video is really interesting and I think you’ll get your answers from it.
 
DavidFilmer said:
Personally, I really like the idea that Christmas was a pagan holiday. People scream that Catholics adopted pagan holidays. I say we CONQUERED pagan holidays - we CRUSHED them and DOMINATED them and they are a mostly forgotten memory (how many people have heard of Saturnalia?)

Alas, Dec 25 seems outside the window of opportunity. Pagan holidays are not a target-rich environment on this date. C’mon - really? We missed it by a couple of days? RATS!!!

But, hey - there’s hope. Is that Dec 25 on the Julian or Gregorian calendar? Maybe with enough calendar math (and “years of confusion”) we could declare victory once again. Somebody could probably construct a sufficiently strong case…
Click to expand...
Conquered it is right. 👍

Ask anybody on the street today “what is Dec.25th?”. You will get an overwhelming response of “Christmas” even from non-Christians.

Peace!!!
 
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