I Thought Christmas Was Pagan Until I Saw This Evidence

From Totus Catholica

Christmas isn't Pagan. It's WORSE (for them) "Christmas is just a Christianized pagan holiday." You've heard this claim on social media, in documentaries, maybe around the dinner table. It sounds scholarly—like someone's done their homework. But here's the truth: the claim itself is the myth. The historical evidence shows that Christians celebrated December 25th as Christ's birth before Sol Invictus was ever established as a major festival on that date . 📌 In the early 3rd century (around 204–221 AD), church scholars like Hippolytus of Rome and Sextus Julius Africanus calculated December 25th based on the Annunciation (March 25th) plus nine months of gestation . Emperor Aurelian didn't establish Sol Invictus until 274 AD—70 years later . The Chronograph of 354 mentions both Sol Invictus and Christmas on December 25th, but scholars like Steven Hijmans argue the pagan festival may have been a response to Christian celebrations, not the other way around . ✨ What You'll Discover – The chronological calculation: March 25 (Annunciation) + 9 months = December 25 – Hippolytus (204 AD) and Africanus (221 AD) identified December 25 before Sol Invictus – Why Aurelian's major Sol festivals were in October, not December – The Donatists: proof the tradition predates Constantine's "political compromise" – Augustine's defense: worship the One who made the sun, not the sun itself – Why 12th-century speculation doesn't trump 3rd-century eyewitness documents – Christmas celebrates the Incarnation—God becoming man in traceable history ⏳ Chapters 0:00 – The Pagan Christmas Myth Everyone Repeats 2:15 – The Real Origin: Biblical Chronology (204–221 AD) 4:05 – Sol Invictus: 274 AD—70 Years Too Late 5:40 – The Chronograph of 354: Who Borrowed from Whom? 6:23 – Constantine Didn't Invent It: The Donatist Proof 7:05 – 12th-Century Speculation vs. 3rd-Century Documents 8:00 – What the Evidence Actually Tells Us 🌐 Stay Connected 📿 Daily Holy Hour – https://totuscatholica.org/rosary 🌍 Website – https://totuscatholica.org ✉️ Contact me – https://totuscatholica.org/contact 🔍 Examination of Conscience – https://catholicexaminationofconscien... 📖 Key Teaching & References – Luke 1:26–38 – The Annunciation: March 25 – Hippolytus of Rome (c. 204 AD) – Commentary on Daniel, December 25 as Christ's birth – Sextus Julius Africanus (c. 221 AD) – Chronological calculation from the Annunciation – Emperor Aurelian establishes Sol Invictus (274 AD) – Chronograph of 354 – First document mentioning both Sol Invictus and Christmas on Dec 25 – Augustine of Hippo – Defending worship of the Son vs. the sun – Donatist Christians – Celebrating Dec 25 before Constantine's conversion (312 AD) – CCC 525 – The Church celebrates the glory of Christ's birth 💬 Reflection Question If the early Church risked their lives defending Christ's birth date from pagan confusion, how boldly are you willing to defend the truth of Christmas today?