The Origin & Development of Our Modern Christmas

                         
In the early part of the 4^th Century A.D. the Emperor Constantine established Christianity as the state religion or the Roman Empire and the persecution of Christians came to an end.  From that point forward Christianity increasingly gained political influence and its hierarchy was formed in a pattern much like that of the political system of the Roman Empire.  Regarding the celebration of Christmas as a holiday it was not observed by followers of Christ for the better part of two hundred years after the time Jesus lived on earth.  In the writings of some of the early church fathers in the first three centuries of the existence of the church they did not want this sacred occasion put on a par with pagan carnivals.  One church official, Origen, especially declared against such a practice, asserting that it was sinful to keep Christ’s birthday “as though He were a King Pharaoh.”  Many church leaders denounced the intermingling of pagan with Christian elements in the celebration of Christmas.  Church leaders warned against excessive indulgence of feasting, dancing, and dressing in grotesque costumes.

Although in the early centuries of the Christian era the exact date of the nativity was not known, by the third century some had been observing the event on these varying dates:  January 6, February 2, March 25, April 19, May 20 and November 17.  (During this period of time there were five different calendar systems of reckoning time.)  At the request of St. Cyril of Jerusalem, Julius I (Bishop of Rome from 337 – 352 A.D.) made an investigation into the matter of the date.  In 350 A.D., December 25 was set as the most probable time.  The Feast of the Nativity was first observed on this day at Rome, perhaps in 353 A.D.; and from then on the custom spread throughout the empire. About a century later near 440 A.D. the Bishop at Jerusalem also accepted this ruling, as did most of the other Christians, except the Armenians, who still observe Christmas on January 6.  Although many authorities did not agree then and many still do not agree today that December 25 was the correct date—the world will no doubt continue to celebrate on this date.

It is interesting to note that different sources have suggested reasons why the early Church officials selected this date.  Many of the Roman soldiers were adherents to Mithraism, a religion that for a time was a strong rival to Christianity in the empire.  Its most important feast day, (Birth of the Unconquered Sun), occurred on December 25.  The Church authorities may have set the date of Christ’s birth to correspond to celebrations already in practice through earlier pagan beliefs.  Perhaps they thought it wise to give a sacred meaning to pagan observances, rather than antagonize new converts by doing away completely with old customs.

But attempts to combine pagan and Christian events led to difficulties and the pollution of the church by pagan practices.  When the Church found it impossible through repeated bans to abolish all the pagan customs, it “Christianized” them and incorporated them into the Christian observance of Christmas.  This explains the use of greenery (like trees), candles and other lights for decorating the home.  In the Roman world the Saturnalia (December 17) was a time of merry-makinig and the exchange of gifts.  December 25 was also regarded as the birth date of the Persian mystery god Mithras also known as the “Sun of Righteousness”.  On the Roman New Year (January 1) houses were decorated with greenery and lights.   Gifts were also given to children and the poor.  Although at first Christians were expected to observe Christmas as a religious holiday exclusively, gradually secular, even pagan elements, such as those listed above and practiced today, were added.

So, the question for us today is:  Will we celebrate Christmas as Christians or as Pagans?  If Christ is left out of Christmas then it is simply a pagan festival.  Nowhere in the New Testament does it instruct us to celebrate the birth of Jesus as some special holiday observance.  The same could be said of Easter too (another term from pagan history).  The only observances we are instructed to do are worship on the Lord’s Day, baptism and communion. 

So was the observance of the birth of Christ as some special holiday to be remembered each year spawned from the nativity in Bethlehem or from the politicized Church of the 4^th Century A.D. combating Pagan religious celebrations and striving to “Christianize” them?   Something to think about for this Christmas season.  In a real sense every day for the Christian is a celebration of the Incarnation and Resurrection of Jesus Christ.   Don’t limit your praise and celebration to just one day a year.