Changes

==History==

==History==

[[Image:Parmigianino Virgin with Child.jpg|right|thumb|The Holy Virgin with her Child]]Nativity narratives feature prominently in both Matthew and Luke. 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. They proposed a wide variety of dates.<ref>"Clement of Alexandria, 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." (Hijmans, p. 584).</ref>

[[Image:Parmigianino Virgin with Child.jpg|right|thumb|The Holy Virgin with her Child]]Nativity narratives feature prominently in both Matthew and Luke. 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 Stephen 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, p. 584</ref>}}

The choice of December 25 as the birthdate of Jesus was influenced by universal historians. These writers wanted to present history in the form of cycles. According to an ancient Jewish tradition, the equinox is the anniversary of the first day of Creation. Influenced by this tradition, Christians in the Middle Ages celebrated New Year's Day on March 25. In 221, Sextus Julius Africanus gave March 25 as the date of the first day of Creation and of the conception of Jesus in his universal history.<ref name=NewCath>"Christmas and its cycle", ''New Catholic Encyclopedia'', 2nd edition, 2002, Catholic University of America Press. vol. 3, pp. 550–557.</ref> This conclusion was based on solar symbolism, with March 25 the date of the equinox. It implies a birth in December, although Africanus did not calculate a date of birth himself.<ref>Hijmans, S.E., ''Sol, the sun in the art and religions of Rome,'' 2009, p. 585, footnote 8.</ref> Solar symbolism was extremely 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> It was justified by the identification of Jesus as the "sun of righteousness" mentioned by the prophet Malachi.<ref>Malachi 4:2.</ref>

The choice of December 25 as the birthdate of Jesus was influenced by universal historians. These writers wanted to present history in the form of cycles. According to an ancient Jewish tradition, the equinox is the anniversary of the first day of Creation. On the Roman calendar, the equinox was marked on March 25. In 221, Sextus Julius Africanus wrote a universal history that gave March 25 not only as the first day of Creation but also as the date the conception of Jesus.<ref name=NewCath>"Christmas and its cycle", ''New Catholic Encyclopedia'', 2nd edition, 2002, Catholic University of America Press. vol. 3, pp. 550–557.</ref> It implies a birth in December, although Africanus did not calculate a date of birth himself.<ref>Hijmans, S.E., ''Sol, the sun in the art and religions of Rome,'' 2009, p. 585, footnote 8.</ref> Solar symbolism was extremely 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> It was justified by the identification of Jesus as the "sun of righteousness" mentioned by the prophet Malachi.<ref>Malachi 4:2.</ref> In the Middle Ages, Christians celebrated New Year's Day on March 25.

Nativity celebration must have arisen sometime after 300 as earlier writers were not aware of it. Irenaeus and Tertullian give both give lists of Christian feasts that do not include Christmas. Origen and Arnobius both fault the pagans for celebrating birthdays.<ref>McCracken, George, ''Arnobius of Sicca, the Case Against the Pagans'', Volume 2, p. 83. "Therefore if this is a fact, how can Jupiter be god if it is agreed that god is everlasting, while the other is represented by you to have a birthday, and frightened by the new experience, to have squalled like an infant."</ref>

Nativity celebration must have arisen sometime after 300 as earlier writers were not aware of it. Irenaeus and Tertullian give both give lists of Christian feasts that do not include Christmas. Origen and Arnobius both fault the pagans for celebrating birthdays.<ref>McCracken, George, ''Arnobius of Sicca, the Case Against the Pagans'', Volume 2, p. 83. "Therefore if this is a fact, how can Jupiter be god if it is agreed that god is everlasting, while the other is represented by you to have a birthday, and frightened by the new experience, to have squalled like an infant."</ref>