Why did the Church set Christmas on a Pagan holiday?

[CHRISTINE77]

The Nativity of Christ is celebrated near the shortest day of the year, the winter solstice. The length of days increase after Christmas.

The only other birth celebrated in the western liturgical calendar is the nativity of John the Baptist. This is celebrated near the summer solstice, the longest day of the year. The length of days decreases after this feast.

He must increase, I must decrease. (John 3:30)

The Church calendar echos St. John the Baptists words. The length of days increase after the celebration of Jesus birth and decrease after the celebration of John the Baptist’s birth.

The early Church did not celebrate birth, but rather celebrated the death of the saints as their entry into heaven. Even today, the only two births celebrated are Jesus’ forerunner, St. John the Baptist, and Jesus himself.

-Tim-

Does scripture reference the date of John the Baptist’s death?

 

[Aelred_Minor]

Does scripture reference the date of John the Baptist’s death?

At the annunciation Gabriel told Mary that Elizabeth was in her sixth month of pregnancy. Assuming the conception of Jesus happened immediately after Mary’s fiat, this means John would have been born about six months before Jesus. If Jesus was born December 25 and we have no other knowledge about exactly when John the Baptist was born, the best thing to do would be to just count backward six months from Christmas. That brings us to June 25, and that is the day the Church chose for the nativity of John the Baptist.