Origins of the first Christmas

[Viggen]

Archeologists say they have traced the origins of the first Christmas to be celebrated on 25 December, 300 years before the birth of Christ. The original event marked the consecration of the ancient world's largest sun god statue, the 34m tall, 200 ton Colossus of Rhodes.

 

It has long been known that 25 December was not the real date of Christ's birth and that the decision to turn it into Jesus's birthday was made by Constantine, the Roman Emperor, in the early 4th century AD. But experts believe the origins of that decision go back to 283 BC, when, in Rhodes, the winter solstice occurred at about sunrise on 25 December.

 

The event was preserved by academics on Rhodes or in Alexandria, and seems to have been passed to Caesar by the Hellenistic Egyptian scientists, who advised him on his calendrical reforms.

 

full article at Independent

[Moonlapse]

Interesting, although I thought that Christmas was the result of the Christianization of the pagan celebration of the winter solstice, along with replacing dieties with saints...

[Primus Pilus]

The 25th of December as the birth of christ has long been associated with the winter solstice, I guess the article is just placing the exact reasoning for Constantine's decision.

 

Vig, the independent now seems to require a paid subscription to view the whole article. I know you've gathered several from there in the past. Not sure if this is standard practice for everything now, or just this one article?

 

http://news.independent.co.uk/world/scienc...sp?story=475919

[Viggen]

ah thanks i didnt know, i will check if i can find articles that can be seen always (it seems the articles there are only for a week public and must be then paid for)