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The dates still don't match up...
Posted on: December 26, 2018 at 23:04:58 CT
JeffB MU
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https://taylormarshall.com/2012/12/yes-christ-was-really-born-on-december.html
Objection 1: December 25 was chosen in order to replace the pagan Roman festival of Saturnalia. Saturnalia was a popular winter festival and so the Catholic Church prudently substituted Christmas in its place.
Reply to Objection 1: Saturnalia commemorated the winter solstice. Yet the winter solstice falls on December 22. It is true that Saturnalia celebrations began as early as December 17 and extended till December 23. Still, the dates don’t match up.
Objection 2: December 25 was chosen to replace the pagan Roman holiday Natalis Solis Invicti which means “Birthday of the Unconquered Sun.”
Reply to Objection 2: Let us examine first the cult of the Unconquered Sun. The Emperor Aurelian introduced the cult of the Sol Invictus or Unconquered Sunto Rome in A.D. 274. Aurelian found political traction with this cult, because his own name Aurelianderives from the Latin word aurora denoting “sunrise.” Coins reveal that Emperor Aurelian called himself the Pontifex Solis or Pontiff of the Sun. Thus, Aurelian simply accommodated a generic solar cult and identified his name with it at the end of the third century.
Most importantly, there is no historical record for a celebration Natalis Sol Invictus on December 25 prior to A.D. 354.
Fathers of the Church on Christ's date of birth
St. Theophilus, Bishop of Caesarea died c. 181 AD. He was a bishop in Palestine where Jesus' Mother, Mary was. He wrote:
"We ought to celebrate the birth of Our Lord on what day soever the 15th of December shall happen."
St. Hippolytus of Rome died 235 AD
"The first advent of Our Lord in the flesh occurred when He was born in Bethlehem on December 25th."
Objection 1: December 25 was chosen in order to replace the pagan Roman festival of Saturnalia. Saturnalia was a popular winter festival and so the Catholic Church prudently substituted Christmas in its place.
Reply to Objection 1: Saturnalia commemorated the winter solstice. Yet the winter solstice falls on December 22. It is true that Saturnalia celebrations began as early as December 17 and extended till December 23. Still, the dates don’t match up.
Objection 2: December 25 was chosen to replace the pagan Roman holiday Natalis Solis Invicti which means “Birthday of the Unconquered Sun.”
Reply to Objection 2: Let us examine first the cult of the Unconquered Sun. The Emperor Aurelian introduced the cult of the Sol Invictus or Unconquered Sunto Rome in A.D. 274. Aurelian found political traction with this cult, because his own name Aurelianderives from the Latin word aurora denoting “sunrise.” Coins reveal that Emperor Aurelian called himself the Pontifex Solis or Pontiff of the Sun. Thus, Aurelian simply accommodated a generic solar cult and identified his name with it at the end of the third century.
Most importantly, there is no historical record for a celebration Natalis Sol Invictus on December 25 prior to A.D. 354.
Fathers of the Church on Christ's date of birth
St. Theophilus, Bishop of Caesarea died c. 181 AD. He was a bishop in Palestine where Jesus' Mother, Mary was. He wrote:
"We ought to celebrate the birth of Our Lord on what day soever the 15th of December shall happen."
St. Hippolytus of Rome died 235 AD
"The first advent of Our Lord in the flesh occurred when He was born in Bethlehem on December 25th."
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The dates still don't match up... - JeffB MU - 12/26 23:04:58