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Does Christmas have pagan origins?

...Christmas celebrations owe much to second century Roman festivals — with one key difference: we aren’t celebrating these things today as a sacrifice or in honour of Caesar or one of the Roman gods. This is why such festivals (and those who frequented them—Christians included) were spoken against so much by early Christian leaders, as their intent was a completely different focus. What less of a defamation does he incur on that ground than does a business … that is publicly consecrated to an idol? The Minervalia are as much Minerva’s as the Saturnalia is Saturn’s … likewise, New Year’s gifts must be caught at. The Septimontium must be kept. And...

Is Halloween a Pagan Holiday?

...e initial celebrations of All Hallows Eve/Saint Day originated in Irish and Celtic-populated countries. The ancient documents we looked at previously by Cyprian and about Polycarp et al. show us that these practices began in the area of Turkey and Syria, even if not widespread at the time. By the Middle Ages, the Pope was declaring this a Church-wide festival in May, which began in Rome (and again when the date was moved to November 1st). So we can see even from a brief look at history, Hallowe’en celebrations originally had nothing to do with anything remotely Celtic. As far as Irish and Celtic origins go, we have still in existence a few Irish sources from...

Keeping Christ in Xmas

...Christmas celebrations, connecting contemporary practices to the linguistic and iconographic heritage of Christianity.  So, in short, it's a very Christ-centred way of writing “Christmas” that is historically rooted in the faith, so have a very Merry Xmas!...

From Paradise to Presents: The Christian Story Behind the Christmas Tree

...The Christmas tree is one of the most recognisable symbols of the festive season, adorning homes, churches, and public spaces with its evergreen beauty. But where did this tradition originate, and how did it become a central feature of Christmas celebrations? Looking into the history of the Christmas tree has turned out to be a fascinating historical story woven from various cultural and theological strands. The Paradise Tree and the Feast of Adam and Eve The connection between the Christmas tree and the Feast of Adam and Eve offers a large clue into its origins. In medieval Europe, December 24th was observed as the feast day of Adam and Eve, a commemoration t...

A Historic Easter Change Is Coming — But Will Protestants Get On Board?

...Pope Francis has recently expressed the Catholic Church’s willingness to accept a unified date for Easter, a move aimed at fostering greater Christian unity, particularly with the Orthodox Church. This long-standing issue arises from the different calendars used by Western and Eastern Christian traditions — the Gregorian and Julian calendars — leading to discrepancies in Easter celebrations. Talks between Catholic and Orthodox leaders have intensified, hoping a common date could be agreed upon. However, this raises important questions for Protestant denominations regarding whether they would adopt the unified date or risk falling out of alignment w...

Does Easter Have Pagan Origins?

...), Easter celebrations within the Church were a standard event which was preceded by at least forty days of fasting. Athanasius had a custom of writing his “paschal (Easter) letters” to the churches at this time of year to encourage fasting, self-control and moderation, linking the 40 days to the length of Jesus’ fast in the desert. His letters are useful as they show quite clearly that the time of Lent and Easter has been established for many centuries in the Church, and have nothing to do with paganism as they predate any Anglo-Saxon or German goddess by about 600 years (if they even existed)! The beginning of the fast of forty days is on the fifth of...