Kentucky Irish American. (Louisville, Ky.) 1898-1968, 1909-12-18
Rome Has Constantly Held TO
December % as Natal
Day.
Pagans Had Their Winter Solstice
i'm Lieu of Modern
Feast.
TINE OF lJOY and KINDLINESS

The Catholic church annually cele-
brates December 25 as the ami
versary of the birth of our Lord and
Redeemer Jesus Christ. 1t is not
certain that He was born on that
day, but the concensus of opinion
among doctors of the church is that
He was. The custom of celebrating
a special day in memory of Chrlsts
nativity is one which dates from the
earliest ages of Christianity.
From primitive times the Eastern
church s6lemnized the birthday of
our Blessed Lord on January 6.
Rome, however, with never failing
consistency, has always celebrated the
event on December 25. Don Swither
Banner, o. S. B., archaeologist and
historian, is of the opinion that
Christmas must have been instituted
in Rome some time after the year
243. Hippolytes may be cited as
one of the earliest authorities in
favor of December 25. He lived in
Rome during the first half of the
third century, and must have had
the best opportunities of learning
the primitive traditions of the true
church. He sets down the date
when Christ was born as December
IS. A Roman calendar of the fourth
century still extant gives December
rs as the anniversary of the birth
of Christ.
Pagan Rome also kept festival
on December 25. To the pagans it
was the birthday of the sun; and
Ahn loc IL hof
this influenced the church in fixing
Christmas on the same day. BE
that as it may, one can not fail to
see a striking parallel between the
day of the winter solstice, when the
sun is as IL were born anew, and
the Sun Of Justice, who was be-
iieved by the Roman Christians to
have arisen for the first time upon
the world upon that day.
The feast of Christmas then must
be regarded as essentially feast of
the Latin church. It's institution
dates from Rome about the end of
the third century. From Rome it
found its way into the East. When
st. John Chrysostom was preaching
to his people at Antioch in $50 he
told them that Christmas had been
introduced into that city only ten
years before.
OF all the festivals that have been
celebrated by man the gentlest is
Christmas. Away back in the days
when the imagination of the race
was simple the awakening intellect
of man looked with wandering eyes
upon the marvels of nature. 1t saw
with dread the darkness come creep
ing like the rising tide upon the
sands of day. The sun grew old
and feeble, and none might know
when he would gasp his last and
leave the world black and chilled.
Then when solemn fear held the
hearts of men, there was a new
birth of the sun. He became a babe,
growing stronger every day. The
floodtide of darkness turned and the
world was young again. Luxurious
Egypt, beautiful Greece, rugged
Teutons, simple Druids, all were
awed by the evidence of a divine
love which they did not understand.
The awesome gratitude that fol-
lowed the winter solstice had it's
influence on the mystic religion of
men IN lar OFF ages.
But the real Christmas, the ami
versary of the birth of Christ,
suffused the world with love, peace
and kindness. Each year this love
and kindness increases. Men are
more careful to be kind to each
other. Gift giving is one of the tra-
ditions of Christmas. To give is
better than to receive, but do not
put it off until Christmas. Give now
Show your kindness for the over
crowded sales girls by buying ahead
of time. You might remember that
the delivery boy, the express mes
senger and the letter carriers also
expect to celebrate Christmas.
Above all remember the poor, for in
relieving their distress you are
lending to the Lord.