Posted on 12/06/2006 6:25:26 AM PST by Risha
Christmas' pagan origins
Few people realize that the origins of a form of Christmas was pagan & celebrated in Europe long before anyone there had heard of Jesus Christ.
No one knows what day Jesus Christ was born on. From the biblical description, most historians believe that his birth probably occurred in September, approximately six months after Passover. One thing they agree on is that it is very unlikely that Jesus was born in December, since the bible records shepherds tending their sheep in the fields on that night. This is quite unlikely to have happened during a cold Judean winter. So why do we celebrate Christ’s birthday as Christmas, on December the 25th?
The answer lies in the pagan origins of Christmas. In ancient Babylon, the feast of the Son of Isis (Goddess of Nature) was celebrated on December 25. Raucous partying, gluttonous eating and drinking, and gift-giving were traditions of this feast.
In Rome, the Winter Solstice was celebrated many years before the birth of Christ. The Romans called their winter holiday Saturnalia, honoring Saturn, the God of Agriculture. In January, they observed the Kalends of January, which represented the triumph of life over death. This whole season was called Dies Natalis Invicti Solis, the Birthday of the Unconquered Sun. The festival season was marked by much merrymaking. It is in ancient Rome that the tradition of the Mummers was born. The Mummers were groups of costumed singers and dancers who traveled from house to house entertaining their neighbors. From this, the Christmas tradition of caroling was born.
In northern Europe, many other traditions that we now consider part of Christian worship were begun long before the participants had ever heard of Christ. The pagans of northern Europe celebrated the their own winter solstice, known as Yule. Yule was symbolic of the pagan Sun God, Mithras, being born, and was observed on the shortest day of the year. As the Sun God grew and matured, the days became longer and warmer. It was customary to light a candle to encourage Mithras, and the sun, to reappear next year.
Huge Yule logs were burned in honor of the sun. The word Yule itself means “wheel,” the wheel being a pagan symbol for the sun. Mistletoe was considered a sacred plant, and the custom of kissing under the mistletoe began as a fertility ritual. Hollyberries were thought to be a food of the gods.
The tree is the one symbol that unites almost all the northern European winter solstices. Live evergreen trees were often brought into homes during the harsh winters as a reminder to inhabitants that soon their crops would grow again. Evergreen boughs were sometimes carried as totems of good luck and were often present at weddings, representing fertility. The Druids used the tree as a religious symbol, holding their sacred ceremonies while surrounding and worshipping huge trees.
In 350, Pope Julius I declared that Christ’s birth would be celebrated on December 25. There is little doubt that he was trying to make it as painless as possible for pagan Romans (who remained a majority at that time) to convert to Christianity. The new religion went down a bit easier, knowing that their feasts would not be taken away from them.
Christmas (Christ-Mass) as we know it today, most historians agree, began in Germany, though Catholics and Lutherans still disagree about which church celebrated it first. The earliest record of an evergreen being decorated in a Christian celebration was in 1521 in the Alsace region of Germany. A prominent Lutheran minister of the day cried blasphemy: “Better that they should look to the true tree of life, Christ.”
The controversy continues even today in some fundamentalist sects.
bump
THere's oodles of false presumption here.
The 25th of Kislev, the Jewish month most closely approximating December, was celebrated as the day that the Spirit of God came to live in the Temple once again (after the desecration by the Selucids).
Saturnalia was not on the 25th, until after Christianity.
Out of curiosity, if these pagan religions were so thoughtful and advanced (and had such cool traditions) - why did they die out?
Actually, if you haven't heard this, you probably live under a rock in the middle of Afghanistan. EVERYONE in America has, at one time or another, been subject to some self righteous jackass explaining that Christmas is meaningless because other cultures liked to have mid-winter parties, too.
Give it a frikkin' rest.
Further.. It is a historical fact that Jesus was killed on March 25. Ancient Jews and ancient Christians believed great prophets were usually killed on the anniversary of their conception, so much so that Catholics still refer to the date of a saint's death as their "heavenly birthday." A perfect nine months after March 25th... is December 25th.
And a Merry Christmas to you and yours.
Our cultural symbols are used within the context of our culture. Other contexts are irrelevant and meaningless.
So yes, Merry Christmas. :-)
Yes, all the PAGAN stories appear at this time of the year to REMIND all of us Christian just how PAGAN our holiday is.
I don't care WHEN Christ was born but the fact that we CELEBRATE HIS birth is what is important to me.
His birth is acknowledged world-wide whether or not you are a Christian.
And all the Pagan references will never deter our homage to Him.
MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!
If there is any doubt that Christianity uses the date of Christ's death to suppose the date of his birth, the Eastern Orthodox calendar's date of Christmas, January 6, is precisely nine months after their calculation of the date of Christ's death.
LOL! I'll never look at missletoe (sp?) the same again.
Now, where is some that I can stand under....
:-)
Yeah? So?
The fact that "pagan" ritual is incorporated into our traditions is what, exactly?
Personally I think its great...a connection with a long distant past that has evolved.
This is nothing new. The origin of the celebration of Christmas as the birth of Christ was in fact the church taking a widely celebrated pagan holiday and making a holy observance out of it.
While many of the original traditions were of pagan origin, they were modified into what they have become today as symbols of various elements of Christ's birth.
So, yes I wish you a Merry Christmas.
They became Muslims.
Just make damned sure there are lots of presents under the CHRISTMAS TREE!
I understand there is a lot of debate about this, but I really don't care. It's a good time of year (anytime really)to remember the Savior and it's a fun time for kids of all ages.
Give it a rest and have a MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!
SZ
MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!
Seriously, just how many years DOES it take for a holiday to stand on it's own?
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Take any Comp Religion 101 class at your local CC to get your answer. There is nothing new or in correct in any of this. People have always used old traditions as a basis for new ones.
There is no pagan origin of Christmas. Christmas is a religious holiday commemorating the birth of Christ. All the glitter is pagan. "Christmas" trees, tinsel, snowflakes, are not Christian and have nothing to do with Christmas. They come at the same time and are thus confused by little minds with the religious holiday.
Same for Easter and bunnies, eggs, baskets.
Don't care.
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