A Seasonal Thought

The Festive season can be a time for rejoicing, although it is not the correct time for the birth of the Lord Jesus. Jesus would have been born in the autumn, would have started his three and a half year ministry in the autumn to die in the springtime in line with the Passover.

According to several websites including history.com, it was in 336 A.D. that early Christian bishops in Rome decided to celebrate the birth of Jesus on the 25th of December, probably because it was already the date of an established pagan festival.

The 25th is four days after the winter solstice and the days had begun to get a little longer. Therefore pagan Romans celebrated the rebirth of the Unconquered Sun on that day.

Perhaps the early Christians thought if they could celebrate the birth of Christ, then they could take part in a festival at the same time as the pagan festival.

The pagan Romans also celebrated a festival called Saturnalia in honour of their god Saturn. During this time people exchanged gifts and indulged in all sorts of fun. Somehow it seems the two pagan festivals merged with those of Christmas to make the event what it is today.

Nevertheless it is a very heartening time to sing hymns about Jesus' birth and remind ourselves of how this birth was foretold in prophecy and which often end with the blessings which are still yet future, such as 'As in gladness men of old'.

However for some it is hard to see so much celebration. For some it is the first festive season since the death of a loved one, others become more aware of their loneliness and some it is poignant yearly reminder of some distressing event that happened many seasons ago.

We can, though, all rejoice in the "good news of great joy for all the people" (Luke 2.10 NRSV) that was brought at that time.

NAC