Posted on 12/24/2019 6:53:48 PM PST by Perseverando
Christianity is the largest religion in the world, approximately a third of the world's population, according to Pew Research Center (2015).
Christmas Day could possibly be considered the most celebrated religious holiday on the planet.
The date of Christmas on December 25 has been studied for centuries.
Some think that since it was in the winter, shepherds would not have been in the field with their flocks, but this argument loses credibility when one considers the moderate climate of Bethlehem in December, with an average daily temperature of around 50 degrees, similar to Florida or Texas.
Some think December 25 was chosen to erase the pagan Roman winter solstice festival of Saturnalia, but this is discounted when one realizes the winter solstice is December 21-22, with celebrations beginning as early as December 17 and lasting no later than December 23.
To track down the traditional date of Christmas , it is first necessary to determine the date of the conception of John the Baptist.
The Gospel of Luke, chapter 1, explained how John the Baptist's father, Zechariah, was a Levite priest, of the family of Abijah:
"In the time of Herod king of Judea there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly division of Abijah; his wife Elizabeth was also a descendant of Aaron."
King David divided the Levite priests into 24 family groups, called "divisions" or "courses," which took turns ministering at the altar in Jerusalem for a week at a time, twice-a-year.
This rotating schedule, called sacerdotal rota system, is recorded in I Chronicles 24:
"The sons of Aaron ... served as the priests ... David separated them into divisions for their appointed order of ministering ...
The first lot fell to Jehoiarib, the second
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Merry Christmas, Perseverando!
Ping
Thank you for this post. This is the most comprehensive and logical explanation for the 25th of December being the designated day of the birth of our Lord and Savior I’ve ever read.
Fascinating article.
Thank you for posting it.
Merry Christmas
Matter of fact, Jesus had two birthdays. One being the natural birth and the other the Resurrection birth..
I have always thought that the most obvious explanation of celebrating Christmas on 12/25 was because that’s the date that the Blessed Mother would have given Saint John as the Christ’s birthday, a child’s birthday being a date no mother could ever forget.
How fascinating that history confirms what the Church has taught through Tradition.
Does anybody follow that incredibly complicated story of why 12/25 is actually Christ’s birth-date? My gosh, good luck following that.
Interesting graphic.
Guess what happens after Christ comes to take his saints out of the world to himself in Heaven? Who is FAR ahead as the most popular religion in the world including the "unaffiliated" who will soon be affiliated to Islam or die.
EXACTLY what the Bible says will happen after Christ takes his own out of this world.
Soon (a few decades IMO) but not yet.
By using written history to support a tradition of the Catholic Church, we demonstrate that Truth can be passed on through Tradition as well as the Bible.
December 25, marks the date of the “Conception”. The shortest day of sun light, the Savior for all human kind was conceived. 9 months out is His birthday. Luke the physician gives the factors that set the time.
Glory to the Newborn King!
Bookmark.
Thanks for posting this. The debunkers who pooh-pooh December 25 as the birthday of Jesus (along with most other Christmas traditions—Bethlehem as the birthplace, Mary’s virginity, etc.) have won over many “modern” Christians. It gives me joy on Christmas Eve to read an article that takes issue with the debunkers.
Merry Christmas to all!
Years ago I was in Shepherd’s Field on Christmas Eve looking up at the Church of the Nativity. Bethlehem was filled with pilgrims. I spent a half-hour in the bone chilling cold before returning to Jerusalem for midnight church service. It is a night I shall never forget.
Handcuffed? I’ll take the unchanging Word of God and the Gospels versus the changing whims of man’s traditions. That being said I hold no animosity to those who celebrate Christmas as a religious holiday. I don’t. The more important milestone is the resurrection.
“Little Christmas”
January 6th from my The First Book Of Moses poetry page Reflections of living in a Chicago ethnic neighborhood known as Bridgeport 1930’s to 1953 during the great depression and the two wars which followed .Also shows the changes in traditional Roman Catholic Christmas observance prior to Vatican 2
L.J.Keslin
On This “Little Christmas”
January 6th
Once Upon a Time and not too long ago
The Twelfth Night Of Christmas
was celebrated with a ball
From the Day of Babes Birth
and the 11 thereafter
kith and kin were paid a visit
and friends from far and near
once were paid a call
So on this day I pray in the spirit that this date recalls
Let the gift of homage of kings gain
in the spirit of the days this season yet remain
ere it wane
Be thine Blessings Great
and misfortunes thee none befall
This poem is an abbreviated version but shows how the Christmas season was observed by Catholics prior to the Vat 2 changes
http://www.theusmat.com/natdesk.htm
The Marxists tell me Christmas and Western history are all hogwash. Jealous, are they.
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