Theos-Talk Archives (December 2006 Message tt00156)

Friends, 

"Christmas is generally known as the festival of the nativity of 
Christ. It is regarded as the Birthday of Jesus, the teacher 
recognized by Christendom. Though generally known as a Christian 
festival, it is not exclusively so; it was already observed by the 
entire pagan world long before the era of Jesus."

Thus starts an article in the TTM magazine which examines the real  
meaning of Christmas.  It proceeds: 

"It is quite clear from historical and documentary evidence that 
before the fifth century there was no agreement as to the actual 
date of Christ's birth, and till then the calendars do not speak of 
it. In the religious history and the mythology of many peoples we 
become familiar with numerous Sun-Gods who are all born at the time 
of the winter solstice, round about the 21st of December. Thus the 
Romans were celebrating the Rite of Mithra which they had adopted 
from Persia, and the birth of Mithra, the Sun-God, was celebrated on 
the 25th of December. Gibbon in his 'Decline and Fall of the Roman 
Empire' says: 'The Roman Christians, ignorant of the real date of 
Christ's birth, fixed the solemn festival on the 25th of December, 
the Brumalia, or Winter Solstice, when the Pagans annually 
celebrated the Birth of Sol.' "

 
"The Theosophical Movement" is, as long as I know, one of the two 
monthly magazines in paper now existing in the theosophical 
community. 

See all of this article at: 

http://www.teosofia.com/Mumbai/7302christ-birth.html


Regards,   Carlos.