posted December 24, 2007 01:40 AM
Saturnalia:There is a theory that Christians in the fourth century assigned December 25 (the Winter Solstice on the Julian calendar) as Christ's birthday (and thus Christmas) because pagans already observed this day as a holiday. This theory is much disputed, as the dates of Saturnalia are not coincident with Christmas. A more refined argument is that Christmas was set on the feast of Sol Invictus, which was on December 25, and which had supplanted Saturnalia. However it is possible the traditions of Saturnalia were incorporated into Christmas.
The 1908 Catholic Encyclopedia said that early Christians independently came up with the date of December 25 based on a Jewish tradition of the "integral age" of the Jewish prophets (the idea that the prophets of Israel died on the same dates as their birth or conception), and a miscalculation of the date of Jesus' death. [1] But the 1967 New Catholic Encyclopedia cites a hypothesis suggested by H. Usener as "accepted by most scholars today", that "the birth of Christ was assigned the date of the winter solstice (December 25 in the Julian calendar ...) because ... the pagan devotees of Mithra celebrated the Dies Natalis Solis Invicti." [2]
While there may be some argument about the relationship of the dates of Saturnalia and Christmas, Tertullian, a theologian in the early third century, condemned professors of Christ who were observing practices associated with Saturnalia:
But, however, the majority (of Christians) have by this time induced the belief in their mind that it is pardonable if at any time they do what the heathen do, for fear "the Name be blasphemed"...To live with heathens is lawful, to die with them is not. Let us live with all; let us be glad with them, out of community of nature, not of superstition. We are peers in soul, not in discipline; fellow-possessors of the world, not of error. But if we have no right of communion in matters of this kind with strangers, how far more wicked to celebrate them among brethren! Who can maintain or defend this?...By us,...the Saturnalia and New-year's and Midwinter's festivals and Matronalia are frequented--presents come and go--New-year's gifts--games join their noise--banquets join their din! Oh better fidelity of the nations to their own sect, which claims no solemnity of the Christians for itself!...We are not apprehensive lest we seem to be heathens!...
But "let your works shine," saith He; but now all our shops and gates shine! You will now-a-days find more doors of heathens without lamps and laurel-wreaths than of Christians... Idolatry is condemned, not on account of the persons which are set up for worship, but on account of those its observances, which pertain to demons (Tertullian. On Idolatry, Chapters XI-XV. Translated by S. Thelwall. Excerpted from Ante-Nicene Fathers, Volume 3. Edited by Alexander Roberts and James Donaldson. American Edition, 1885.).
Lindaland
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posted December 24, 2007 01:32 AM
