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Christians celebrate Christmas on December 25… and it’s not because that’s when Jesus was born
https://www.thesun.co.uk/fabulous/5...stmas-dec-25-and-its-not-when-jesus-was-born/
The nativity didn't take place in December at all
But is December 25 actually the date that Jesus was born?
We have celebrated Christmas on this date since the fourth century
It turns out that is pretty unlikely – and he was probably born in the spring or autumn.
In fact, no one knows the exact date of the birth, and the bible doesn’t specify a date.
The first recorded date of Christmas being celebrated on December 25th was in 336, during the time of the Roman Emperor Constantine - the first Christian Roman Emperor.
A few years after that, Pope Julius I officially declared that the birth of Jesus would be celebrated then.
The birth of Jesus was unlikely to have been in December
The reason for the choice of December 25 goes back to an ancient belief that prophets died on the same date they were conceived.
Believing Jesus died on March 25, early theologians pinpointed that as the date of the annunciation, when Mary was told she would have the baby.
December 25 is nine months after that and was, therefore, chosen as the birth date.
But historians who have studied the bible have concluded the birth of Jesus was more likely to be in the spring or autumn for three reasons.
Firstly, the shepherds tending their flocks on the hills at night were unlikely to do that in the winter, when the flocks were often moved to lower ground.
Secondly, they believe that the census which brought Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem would have taken place either in the Jewish festival of Passover in spring or The Feast of the Tabernacle in autumn, when many travelled to Jerusalem and Bethlehem for the celebrations.
https://www.thesun.co.uk/fabulous/5...stmas-dec-25-and-its-not-when-jesus-was-born/
The nativity didn't take place in December at all
But is December 25 actually the date that Jesus was born?
We have celebrated Christmas on this date since the fourth century
It turns out that is pretty unlikely – and he was probably born in the spring or autumn.
In fact, no one knows the exact date of the birth, and the bible doesn’t specify a date.
The first recorded date of Christmas being celebrated on December 25th was in 336, during the time of the Roman Emperor Constantine - the first Christian Roman Emperor.
A few years after that, Pope Julius I officially declared that the birth of Jesus would be celebrated then.
The birth of Jesus was unlikely to have been in December
The reason for the choice of December 25 goes back to an ancient belief that prophets died on the same date they were conceived.
Believing Jesus died on March 25, early theologians pinpointed that as the date of the annunciation, when Mary was told she would have the baby.
December 25 is nine months after that and was, therefore, chosen as the birth date.
But historians who have studied the bible have concluded the birth of Jesus was more likely to be in the spring or autumn for three reasons.
Firstly, the shepherds tending their flocks on the hills at night were unlikely to do that in the winter, when the flocks were often moved to lower ground.
Secondly, they believe that the census which brought Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem would have taken place either in the Jewish festival of Passover in spring or The Feast of the Tabernacle in autumn, when many travelled to Jerusalem and Bethlehem for the celebrations.
