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The story of the birth of Christ is told in the opening chapters of the [[Gospel of Luke]] and the [[Gospel of Matthew]]. Each contains different elements of the Christmas story. The visit of the [[Archangel]] to the shepherds and the birth of Jesus in a [[manger]] are from Luke. The story of the [[Star of Bethlehem]] and the visit from the magi bringing gifts of "gold, and frankincense and myrrh" are from Matthew.
The story of the birth of Christ is told in the opening chapters of the [[Gospel of Luke]] and the [[Gospel of Matthew]]. Each contains different elements of the Christmas story. The visit of the [[Archangel]] to the shepherds and the birth of Jesus in a [[manger]] are from Luke. The story of the [[Star of Bethlehem]] and the visit from the magi bringing gifts of "gold, and frankincense and myrrh" are from Matthew.
===Date established===
===Selecting a date===
Early Christians had a great deal of interest in establishing the date of the birth of Jesus. But no evidence could be found in the gospels. According to historian Steven Hijmans:
Early Christians had a great deal of interest in establishing the date of the birth of Jesus. But no evidence could be found in the gospels. According to historian Steven Hijmans:
{{cquote|Clement of Alexandria [c. 150 – 215], for instances mentions (and dismisses) proposals that Christ was born on April 19 or May 20 and himself calculated the date as November 17, 3 BC. Other suggested dates included March 28 and April 2, but not December 25. None of these dates were influential, or enjoyed any official recognition.<ref>Hijmans, S.E., ''Sol: The Sun in the Art and Religions of Rome,'' 2009, p. 584.</ref>}}
{{cquote|Clement of Alexandria [c. 150 – 215], for instances mentions (and dismisses) proposals that Christ was born on April 19 or May 20 and himself calculated the date as November 17, 3 BC. Other suggested dates included March 28 and April 2, but not December 25. None of these dates were influential, or enjoyed any official recognition.<ref>Hijmans, S.E., ''Sol: The Sun in the Art and Religions of Rome,'' 2009, p. 584.</ref>}}
====The solstice and the calendar====
On the Roman calendar, December 25 was the date of the winter solstice, called ''bruma'' in Latin. The Julian Calendar was designed by Sosigenes of Alexandria and introduced to Rome by Julius Caesar in 45 BC. Sosigenes intended March 25 to be the date of the equinox. The Julian calendar has a leap year every four years, and thus a year of 365.25 days. The actual solar year is 365.242 days, so the equinox "drift" by almost a day each century. By 325, calendar drift had moved the equinox to March 21, according to the Council of Nicaea. The [[Gregorian calendar]], instituted in 1582, attempted to reestablish the calendar alignment as it was at the time of Nicaea. By modern calculations, the equinox is on March 21 or 22 and the solstice is December 21 or 22.
====Sextus Julius Africanus====
====Sextus Julius Africanus====
In 221, [[Africanus (Christian historian)|Sextus Julius Africanus]] wrote a universal history that gave the spring equinox not only as the first day of Creation, but also as the date of incarnation.<ref name=NewCath>"Christmas and its cycle", ''New Catholic Encyclopedia'', 2nd edition, 2002, Catholic University of America Press. vol. 3, pp. 550–557.</ref> On the Roman calendar, the equinox was March 25, now celebrated as Annunciation.<ref>Sosigenes of Alexandria intended March 25 to be the date of the equinox when he designed the Julian calendar. This calendar, introduced by Julius Caesar in 45 BC, drifted by almost a day each century. By 325, calendar drift had moved the equinox to March 21, according to the Council of Nicaea. The [[Gregorian calendar]], instituted in 1582, attempted to reestablish the calendar alignment as it was at the time of Nicaea. By modern calculations, the equinox is on March 21 or 22.</ref> This implies that Jesus was born in December, nine months later.<ref>Africanus did not calculate the date of birth himself. (Hijmans, p. 585, footnote 8.)</ref>
In 221, [[Africanus (Christian historian)|Sextus Julius Africanus]] wrote a universal history that gave the spring equinox not only as the first day of Creation, but also as the date of incarnation.<ref name=NewCath>"Christmas and its cycle", ''New Catholic Encyclopedia'', 2nd edition, 2002, Catholic University of America Press. vol. 3, pp. 550–557.</ref> On the Roman calendar, the equinox was March 25, now celebrated as Annunciation. From this, it can be calculated that Jesus was born in December, nine months later.<ref>Africanus did not calculate the date of birth himself. (Hijmans, p. 585, footnote 8.)</ref>
Solar symbolism was common among Christian writers of the time.<ref>Hijmans notes the "the pervasive use of the sun as metaphor for Christ in early Christian literature, in which he is often referred to as “Sol verus”, “Sol Justitiae”, etc." (Hijmans, p. 584).</ref> This symbolism was justified by the identification of Jesus as the "sun of righteousness" mentioned by the prophet Malachi.<ref>"But for you who fear my name, the sun of righteousness shall rise with healing in its wings. You shall go out leaping like calves from the stall." (Malachi 4:2, ESV).</ref>
Solar symbolism was common among Christian writers of the time.<ref>Hijmans notes the "the pervasive use of the sun as metaphor for Christ in early Christian literature, in which he is often referred to as “Sol verus”, “Sol Justitiae”, etc." (Hijmans, p. 584).</ref> This symbolism was justified by the identification of Jesus as the "sun of righteousness" mentioned by the prophet Malachi.<ref>"But for you who fear my name, the sun of righteousness shall rise with healing in its wings. You shall go out leaping like calves from the stall." (Malachi 4:2, ESV).</ref>