Merry Natalis Sol Invictus ...uh, Christmas

Is Jesus really the "reason for the season"?

We all know that Jesus wasn't born on or near Christmas. There is also no record that the earliest Christians commemorated the birth of Christ.

In the first couple of centuries of the Christian church, December 25th was a Roman pagan holy day which celebrated the birth (natalis in Latin) of Deus Sol Invictus, the Invincible Sun God. Mid-to-late December is the time of the Winter Solstice; the shortest (and therefore darkest) day of the year. At this time of year the Romans would celebrate that the Sun would soon begin to grow stronger and the days get longer again.

Roman coinage from the first few centuries A.D. often has depictions of Sol Invictus as a figure with a crown of flames. It is believed by many historians that the halos which appear later in depictions of Jesus and Mary have their origin in Sol's fiery crown.

It was the Roman Emperor Constantine who, in the 4th century, instituted a weekly day of rest called "dies Solis" aka "day of Sol" aka Sunday.

The cult of Sol Invictus was finally abolished, along with other pagan Roman religions, by the Christian Emperor Theodosius I in 390 A.D.

What does any of this have to do with Jesus? As the Roman empire shifted from paganism to Christianity, pagan practices (including holy days) were subverted, co-opted and redefined into Christian holy days. A great deal of syncretism (the fusion of different religions and practices) took place during this time. Many of the traditions and practices of Roman Catholicism (including some that were retained by Protestantism) have their roots in Roman paganism.

Among them, the birthday of Sol Invictus became the Mass of Christ's birth: Christmas.

So do I think, like the Jehovah's Witnesses, that we shouldn't celebrate Christmas? Nah, I don't care. It's as good a day as any. I just don't think we should get too worked up about it. Every day should be a celebration of the birth, life, death and resurrection of Jesus. There's nothing special about late December. He is the reason for every season.