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The Rest Is History

402. Christmas: Pagan or Christian?

Dec 25, 2023
Delve into the intriguing origins of Christmas and its connections to pagan traditions. Discover the influence of the cult of Mithras and why December 25th was chosen for celebrating Christ. Explore the revelry of Saturnalia and how its customs have shaped modern festivities. Unpack the complexities of early Christian adaptations of ancient rituals, and enjoy a mix of humor and critique as the hosts dissect myths surrounding this beloved holiday.
01:00:51

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Quick takeaways

  • The celebration of Christmas on December 25th was primarily chosen by Christians in the fourth century to emphasize the human incarnation of Christ, influenced by Jewish beliefs about the symmetry of the ages and the connection of December 25th to the conception of Christ.
  • While the Saturnalia and Christmas both involve celebrations and festivities, their origins and significance differ, with the Saturnalia being associated with the worship of Saturn and Christmas focused on the Christian belief of the birth of Jesus.

Deep dives

The Saturnalia: A Festival of Merrymaking and Subversion

The Saturnalia was a highly anticipated festival in ancient Rome, known for its subversion of traditional orders and celebration of merrymaking. It lasted for a week and involved activities such as gender confusion through clothing, allowing slaves to talk back to their masters, public banquets, and the election of a "Princeps" who could organize pranks and japes. Presents were exchanged during this time, and it had some similarities with the Lord of Misrule tradition in medieval times. However, despite the proximity in timing, there is no direct connection between the Saturnalia and the celebration of Christmas. Christians started celebrating Christmas on December 25th in the fourth century, primarily to emphasize the human incarnation of Christ. The choice of the date was likely influenced by Jewish beliefs about the symmetry of the ages and the connection of December 25th to the conception of Christ. While the Saturnalia and Christmas both involve celebrations and festivities, their origins and significance differ. The Saturnalia was associated with the worship of Saturn, while Christmas was focused on the Christian belief of the birth of Jesus.

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