Why was Christmas chosen as Jesus birthday?

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.

Who decided Christmas would be December 25?

Under Emperor Constantine, the Church in Rome began celebrating Christmas on Dec. 25 in 336. Some say the date was chosen to outshine the Sol Invictus and pagan celebrations.

Why do we say Jesus was born on Christmas?

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.

When was Jesus's actual birthday?

The date of birth of Jesus is not stated in the gospels or in any historical sources, but most biblical scholars generally accept a date of birth between 6 BC and 4 BC, the year in which King Herod died.

Does the Bible prove Jesus was born on Christmas?

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.

The TRUE Story behind December 25 as Jesus' Birthday

Why was December 25th chosen as the date of Christmas?

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.

When did Christmas become the birth of Jesus?

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 true date of Christmas?

Christmas is an annual festival commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ, observed primarily on December 25 as a religious and cultural celebration among billions of people around the world.

Is Year 0 the year Jesus was born?

Since the years of the Common Era are labeled "AD," standing for anno Domini or “in the year of the lord” in Latin, one might assume that Jesus was born in the Year 0. Specifically, he is commonly believed to have been born eight days before the New Year on December 25, 1 B.C.E. But this is very unlikely.

Who started Christmas?

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.

Is Christmas mentioned in the Bible?

The New Testament contains two Christmas stories, not one. They appear in Matthew 1–2 and Luke 1–2.

Why did the church decide to celebrate Christmas in December?

Christmas celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ. 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.

Was Jesus born in July?

Thus it is more likely, he said, that Jesus was born sometime between late July and early October. Fleming added that he believed the Star of Bethlehem was an early visitation of Halley's comet.

Why do some Christians not celebrate Christmas?

Millions of Christians do not observe Christmas. Among them are Quakers, Jehovah's Witnesses, and members of the Churches of Christ. Some of the half-dozen Christian faiths that do no celebrate Dec. 25 contend there is nothing in the Bible that says Christ was born on that day.

Was Jesus born in 3 BC?

The date of birth of Jesus of Nazareth is not stated in the gospels or in any secular text, but most scholars assume a date of birth between 6 BC and 4 BC.

What language did Jesus speak?

Most religious scholars and historians agree with Pope Francis that the historical Jesus principally spoke a Galilean dialect of Aramaic. Through trade, invasions and conquest, the Aramaic language had spread far afield by the 7th century B.C., and would become the lingua franca in much of the Middle East.

What does the Bible say about Christmas?

"Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign. Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel." "And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins."

Was Jesus born in October?

By God's grace, we have been able to prove both from the Bible and history that Jesus Christ was born in the month of October and not December, as is being claimed by many Christians.

Why was Christmas created?

So how did Christmas start? As history explains, it began as a religious festival. Over the years, elements of pagan festivals were integrated into the Christmas celebration. Nonetheless, Christmas was consistently a time for families to come together to celebrate the birth of Jesus and worship together.

When was Christmas started and why?

It followed Saturnalia, a festival where people feasted and exchanged gifts. 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.

What happened on 25th December according to the Bible?

The first date listed, December 25, is marked: natus Christus in Betleem Judeae: “Christ was born in Bethlehem of Judea … ” So, almost 300 years after Jesus was born, we finally find people observing his birth in mid-winter.”

Why is Mary dressed in blue?

Deeply rooted in Catholic symbolism, the blue of her cloak has been interpreted to represent the Virgin's purity, symbolize the skies, and label her as an empress, for blue was associated with Byzantine royalty.

What is Jesus real name?

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

Is there Christmas without Jesus?

"In our day, especially in Europe, we are witnessing a type of 'distortion' of Christmas" in which "all reference to Christ's birth is eliminated from the holiday". In reality, however, "without Jesus there is no Christmas; there is another holiday, but not Christmas".

Where did Christmas come from in the Bible?

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 and then came back to life.