re: #200 freetoken

The Pope is just, after many many centuries of writings about this, getting around to stating the obvious: Trying to put (the alleged) Jesus’ birthday on Dec 25 has no historical merit.

The holiday in Roman world celebrated during the time of the winter solstice was Saturnalia. Putting Jesus’ birthday during this time was clearly a move by the 4th century newly-Christianized Emperors to Christianize a then current popular holiday.

And the last 16 centuries has seen a non-stop flow of pagan religious themes continually plastered over the old Saturnalia.

This is not “news”.

Saturnalia was celebrated on December 17 with festivities extended to the 23rd. Saturnalia customs probably influenced the celebration of Christmas, but the actual day taken over for Christmas came from the Dies Natalis Solis Invicti, “Birthday of the Unconquered Sun”, instituted during the 3rd century by the Emperor Aurelian.