Solemnity of Christmas (A)
Channel: Father Paddy Walsh
Date: 2019-12-30

The Church officially instituted the Feast of Christmas in 336 AD shortly after the Edict of Constantine which pledged freedom for the Catholic religion. In ancient times, long before the arrival of Christianity, pagan Rome celebrated a yearly event on 25th December known as 'the festival of the Invincible Sun.' According to their calculations this was the time of the Winter Solstice - the Sun appeared at its weakest but after that date it began to recover.  Hence the name, 'invincible sun'.