Why did the church decide to celebrate Christmas in December?

The church in Rome began formally celebrating Christmas on December 25 in 336, during the reign of the emperor Constantine. As Constantine had made Christianity the effective religion of the empire, some have speculated that choosing this date had the political motive of weakening the established pagan celebrations.

Why do Christians celebrate in December?

The first official mention of December 25 as a holiday honoring Jesus' birthday appears in an early Roman calendar from AD 336. The celebration of Christmas spread throughout the Western world over the next several centuries, but many Christians continued to view Epiphany and Easter as more important.

What is the history behind the celebration of Christmas?

Christmas is celebrated to remember the birth of Jesus Christ, who Christians believe is the Son of God. The name 'Christmas' comes from the Mass of Christ (or Jesus). A Mass service (which is sometimes called Communion or Eucharist) is where Christians remember that Jesus died for us and then came back to life.

When did the Catholic Church start celebrating Christmas?

According to the Catholic Encyclopedia online, Christmas (or "Mass of Christ") was not one of the earliest celebrations of the Catholic Church. However, in various places around the Holy Land, starting in about 200 AD, masses celebrating Christ's birth became annual events.

Where in the Bible does it say Jesus was born on December 25?

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 Mary was said to have given birth to him in Bethlehem. The earliest Christians did not celebrate his birth.

Why did the Church use December 25 to celebrate Christmas? Rabbi Tovia Singer reveals shocking truth

Did the Catholic church invent Christmas?

The church in Rome began celebrating Christmas on December 25 in the 4th century during the reign of Constantine, the first Christian emperor, possibly to weaken pagan traditions.

Who came up with Christmas?

The first recorded incidence of Christmas being celebrated actually dates all the way back to the Roman Empire in 336, during the time of the Roman Emperor Constantine – so technically the Romans invented it, although there's no specific person who is credited with having done so.

What the Bible Says About Christmas?

Christmas Is Not Supported By Scripture

One of the first things you will notice when studying Scripture is that the word “Christmas” is not mentioned in any verse, chapter, or book of the Bible. None of Jesus' disciples, nor any of His apostles attempted to celebrate the miraculous birth of our Lord and Savior.

How did December 25 become Christmas?

It is celebrated by the majority of Christians. The Roman Christian historian Sextus Julius Africanus dated Jesus's conception to March 25, which, after 9 months, is December 25. Hence, the birth date was decided.

When was Jesus's actual birthday?

The date of birth of Jesus is not stated in the gospels or in any historical reference, but most biblical scholars assume a year of birth between 6 and 4 BC.

What time of the year was Jesus really born?

The Virgin Mary, pregnant with the son of God, would hence have given birth to Jesus nine months later on the winter solstice. From Rome, the Christ's Nativity celebration spread to other Christian churches to the west and east, and soon most Christians were celebrating Christ's birth on December 25.

Is December 25 a pagan holiday?

Though December 25 is the day Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, the date itself and several of the customs we've come to associate with Christmas actually evolved from pagan traditions celebrating the winter solstice.

Is Christmas pagan?

Now, as Christmas applies to the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ, Christmas is decidedly not pagan. However, there are some differences of opinion when it comes to the selection of day of celebration. On the Roman calendar, December 25 was the date of the winter solstice (December 21 on the modern calendar).

Is Christmas celebrated in Bible?

Although Christmas is not mentioned in the Bible, it is biblical to celebrate the first coming of Christ and His birth. When the shepherds found out about the birth of Jesus, they worshipped God and then told everyone around them that the Savior of the world had come.

Is Christmas tree biblical?

Deuteronomy 16:21 says:

Thou shalt not plant thee a grove of any trees near unto the altar of the LORD thy God, which thou shalt make thee. Although this verse doesn't speak directly to christmas trees, it does make a point to mention trees near the altar of the lord.

Did Christians Steal Christmas?

So Christians may have stolen the date from the pagans, or the pagans might have tried to ride the coattails of Jesus' popularity as the Son of God to worship the Sun God. Either way, we don't really know who claimed the date first. We don't know who stole Christmas.

Which Pope started Christmas?

Pope Julius I was the bishop of Rome from 6 February 337 to his death on 12 April 352. He is notable for asserting the authority of the pope over the Arian Eastern bishops, as well as a dubious claim that he set 25 December as the official birthdate of Jesus.

Why did the Catholic church make Christmas on December 25?

The Roman Christian historian Sextus Julius Africanus dated Jesus' conception to March 25 (the same date upon which he held that the world was created), which, after nine months in his mother's womb, would result in a December 25 birth.

Do Catholics celebrate Christmas?

Roman Catholics and Protestants celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ on December 25. Many Orthodox Christians use the Julian calendar, which places Christmas around January 6. The celebration of Christmas was not common among early Christians.

Where did Christmas come from pagan?

The origins of Christmas stem from both the pagan and Roman cultures. The Romans actually celebrated two holidays in the month of December. The first was Saturnalia, which was a two-week festival honoring their god of agriculture Saturn. On December 25th, they celebrated the birth of Mithra, their sun god.

What religion is Christmas originally from?

The first Christmas feast held on December 25 was in Rome in 336 A.D., after Christianity had become the Empire's official religion.

How old were Joseph and Mary when Jesus was born?

All About Mary

However, now we believe that Mary and Joseph were both in their teens when Jesus was born, around sixteen and eighteen respectively.

What is Jesus real name?

Jesus' name in Hebrew was “Yeshua” which translates to English as Joshua.