The Origins of Christmas Day
December 25th
It is a little-known fact that the original celebration surrounding the Winter Solstice was a pagan festival called The Saturnalia. The "pagan" people who converted to Christianity were loath to give up their annual week of drinking and carousing despite the wishes of the Christian priests and popes.
It would be like a Pope of today telling the good citizens of New Orleans or Rio de Janeiro to give up their Mardi Gras madness!
So, which was it to be Christma or Saturnalia?
The pragmatic solution was that the Catholic powers- that-be decided to arbitrarily designate December 25th as the date of Christ's birth, so the people could still have their Saturnalia celebrations in late December at the Winter Solstice but have it for a "Christian" purpose. After all, if you can't beat them, join them - just change the name and in time, try to change their wanton ways to a more moderate method of celebrating the symbolic rebirth of the Sun.
At the Winter Solstice, the hours of daily sunlight stop shrinking ("dying") and start increasing again. It is the shortest day of the year. Nowadays, we Christians celebrate the birth of the "Son" of God who sacrificed His body to give us everlasting life (or perhaps He meant to teach us that we are spiritual beings and do not really die if our body dies.)
In ancient times, the pagans celebrated the symbolic rebirth of the "Sun" of our solar system, which is continually "sacrificing" its body mass to give its energy to support all life on Earth. Christ often referred to himself as the "Light" It seems like a very appropriate metaphor.
Book a Psychic Reading with Laura: Book Now
Of all the symbols man might use to represent God or Christ, the Sun is an excellent choice; and it was the choice of many ancient religions, such as the Egyptian religion with its sun-god, Ra, the Greek god Apollo and the Roman god Sol Invictus.
The Sun is the largest thing in our personal universe (our local solar system); it always sends us the light and heat we need to sustain life, and it continually gives of itself without asking to receive anything in return. Its nature is "to shine" - to send its light and warmth to all planets and all peoples, without discriminating as to who shall receive it or not receive it.
It is our free choice as individuals to accept or reject the gift, by staying in the light or by staying in shadow and darkness. This sounds a lot like the nature of God and Christ, as we conceive it. So the Sun can serve as an excellent symbol for a loving God.
There are many theories as to why December 25th was chosen as the birth date of Christ when the actual date is lost in history and time. One theory I have found to be very compelling is the combining of three popular beliefs shared throughout the Roman Empire by Emperor Constantine.
By doing so I believe Constantine not only helped preserve the Roman Empire but created the Christian Religion as we know it today. (This theory may seem a bit controversial and is not intended to offend or discredit Christ in any way.)
In his book The Star of Bethlehem: The Legacy of the Magi, astronomer Michael Molnar claims that it was the pagan celebration of the birth of the invincible Sun god Sol Invictus which the early Christian Church leaders replaced with the celebration of the birth of Christ in December and not the Saturnalia celebrations.
This theory makes sense, but I would venture to take the theory one step further:
Constantine, the so-called first Christian Emperor was a lifelong pagan and dedicated follower of the sun god Sol Invictus. Waiting, in fact, until his deathbed to finally be baptized a Christian. When Constantine became Emperor of Rome after defeating and killing his two rival co-emperors he inherited a crumbling and divided empire deeply in need of unification. One major problem he faced was the growing popularity of three conflicting major religious cults.
The cult of Sol Invictus the sun god, whom Constantine himself worshiped, the cult of Mithras worshiped by at least a third of the Roman legions, and the new and quickly growing cult of Christ the Judean. In a bid to save his crumbling empire and unify his people there is evidence to show, that he combined these three cults and created the Christian Church as we know it today.
Constantine and church leaders then combined the winter solstice celebrations of Sol Invictus (Dec. 17-25th) already replaced that of Saturn/Saturnalia with the Mithraic belief in a god who was born of a virgin, sacrificed for the sins of the world, and resurrected, with the teachings, tolerance, and miracles of Jesus Christ.
Thus creating a new religion known as Christianity in the form of the Roman Catholic Church and giving the date of Dec. 25th, formerly held as the date of Mithra's birth, to Jesus as his date of birth. Thus the pagans retained a beloved holiday, and the unconquered “sun” Sol Invictus became the unconquered “Son” Jesus. The resurrected yet restrictive Mithras were replaced with a kinder more tolerant, loving, and inclusive Christ.
Regardless of the actual date of his birth, or the circumstances surrounding the creation of the Christian religion, the teachings of Jesus the fisher of man- the king- and a soul who had achieved godhood, Christmas day is a day to remember and celebrate a great teacher and holy soul who came to show us a better way.
Merry Christmas- Whatever day it was!
Book a Psychic Reading with Laura: Book Now
For those who are interested here is some further evidence of Constantine's combining of the three most popular religious cults Sol Invictus, Mithras, and Christ.
You have probably been taught that at the battle at the Milivian Bridge 312AD Constantine had a vision of a cross in the sky and heard the words "By this sign, conquer" and he did. Defeating his co-emperor Maxentius and becoming the first Holy Christian Emperor.
However, as I said before, Constantine was a lifelong follower of the sun god Sol Invictus. This fact can be evidenced in his raising of a colossal statue of Sol Invictus less than 3 years following his victory just behind his Triumphal Arch. The statue was depicted in such a way as to be seen as one approached the Roman Forum to be framed within the arch then to be towering over it the closer one came.
Further, he had coins depicted bearing his image alongside Sol Invictus and with the sun god on the opposite side as late as 23 years into his reign as emperor. Long after he is said to have converted to Christianity.
Years later when founding the city of Constantinople (now Istanbul) he had a 40-foot statue of himself depicted as Sol Invictus, sun rays and all placed prominently in the center of the city. (While the sun rays are no longer on the head of the statue, now in many pieces, the holes for them are clearly visible when seen from above.)
As to Mithras the images are not as important as the story, elements of which were later incorporated into the story of Christ. Especially that of a virgin birth, the sacrifice of his own blood to save man from sin, and being resurrected after death. This was a very popular religion among the Roman legions especially those loyal to Maxentius. Legions Constantine needed for his own. The cult was also prominent among the Roman male elites whose support Constantine also needed.
This religion, however, was not one that welcomed women, or the lower classes, particularly slaves, and it did not offer an afterlife in the way that the followers of Christ were offered it. Christianity was the fastest-growing cult/religion in Rome at that time with an estimated 30% of the Roman army now adhering to it.
Again Constantine needed his legions loyal to him. So we see Christ inheriting the solar rays of the unconquered sun, with the beliefs of Mithras incorporated into the life story of Jesus Christ.
It is my belief that In his political shrewdness and wisdom, Constantine saw a way to unite all of these spiritual factions under one banner- Christianity. By combining the three religions/cults he created a united empire and an enduring religion.
Please do not think I am saying Constantine invented the "teachings of Jesus Christ" only this holy soul could do that, I am simply speculating that by combining these three cults into one he invented the Christian - Roman Catholic Church that continued to grow and evolved to become what it is today - one of the most powerful spiritual faiths the world has ever known.
May the God of Light Bless all of you!
Thank you for Reading Groundedpsyhci.com
Book a Psychic Reading with Laura: Book Now