(iStock | Jevgeni_Tr/)
The Romans took advantage of an important pagan festival held around December 25th and “Christianized” the date, celebrating the birth of Jesus for the first time in the year 354.
This pagan festival, called Natalis Solis Invicti («birth of the invincible sun»), was a tribute to the Persian god Mithra, popular in Rome. The celebrations took place during the winter solstice, the shortest day of the year.
In the northern hemisphere, the solstice does not have a fixed date – it is usually close to December 22nd, but can fall as late as the 25th.
This is the origin of the date, but was Jesus really born during the end of the year? Experts doubt it. “Among scholars of the New Testament and of the origins of Christianity, there is a consensus that he was not born on December 25th”, says religious scientist Carlos Caldas, from Mackenzie University, in São Paulo.
In the Bible, the evangelist Lucas claims that Jesus was born at the time of a great census, which forced people to leave the countryside and go to the cities to enlist. However, in December, the winters in the region of Israel are rigorous, preventing a large displacement of people. “Also because of the cold, you can’t imagine a boy being born in a stable. Even inside, the cold would be unbearable in December”, says Caldas.
Most likely the birth took place between March and November, when the climate in the Middle East is milder.