CHECKING THE FACTS about “commemoration of CHRIST’S NATIVITY” by the Church

 

*CHECKING THE FACTS about “commemoration of CHRIST’S NATIVITY” by the Church*

by Very Revd Dr. Ifechukwu U. Ibeme

http://www.scribd.com/ifeogo

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Here are the sure naked facts and true historical timeline of events to help you know the truth about the commemoration of Christ’s Nativity by the Church.

(Let no antichrist and pagan Church basher confuse or disquiet your mind with false dates, fabrications and superstitions conjectured from misinformation that are trending in street chatter and social media.)

 

1.       _Of all the births written in the Bible, whose birth was only recorded as celebrated by heaven and earth?_

Christ’s birth was the first celebrated birth recorded in the Bible to be celebrated by Heavenly *Angels, Shepherds, Royal Star and Foreign Dignitaries* (Mat 2 & Luke 2). Even elderly waiting *Prophet Simeon* (Luke 2:25-35) and aged praying *Prophetess Anna* (Luke 2:35-40) joined in celebrating the birth and manifestation of the Baby Jesus, to the amazement of Mary the mother of Christ (Luke 2:19).

*Never forget, all those who are moved to commemorate and celebrate Christ’s Nativity has joined in the succession of this angelic example and the tradition of this prophetic footstep as these celebrated Christ at His historic birth!*  Hallelujah!!!

 

2.       _When and Who were the first to celebrate Christ’s Nativity?_

Heavenly Carol *Angels* and humble *Shepherds* in the night Christ was born, while still in the manger (Luke 2:1-20), then came the dignified Eastern *Wisemen* who followed the notable Royal *Star* to come celebrate Christ several months later (Matt 2:1-12).

 

3.       _When did African Churches first document that they were already holding an annual Church Service to commemorate Christ’s Epiphany on 6^th January?_

*194 AD,* by Bishop Clement of Alexandria in Egypt.

 

4.       _When did Judean and Roman Churches first document that they were already holding an annual Church Service to commemorate Christ’s Nativity on 25^th December?_

*175 AD,* by Bishop Theophilus of Caesarea in Judea; and

*215 AD,* by Bishop Hippolytus of Rome in the midst of several episodes of bloody persecution by the Roman Empire.

 

5.       _Why the 12 days difference between Eastern Church’s Epiphany and Western Church’s Nativity, and Why are both held in the Winter?_

The 12 days gap was because of their calendar differences, and it was in Winter because our perfect Christ was conceived (took up flesh) at the Angelic annunciation on the same corresponding date on which He later died (put off flesh) during the Passover season, i.e., 9 months earlier in Spring.

 

6.       _When did Roman Empire newly import Sun (Mythra) worship officially?_

*271 AD,* by Caesar Aurelius.

 

7.       _When did Roman pagans begin to celebrate their new Mythra cult Feast for the Sun officially at first?_

*271 AD on 28^th August,* according to official Roman Calendar, under Caesar Aurelius.

 

8.       _Who and When did Roman Empire make Christianity the Religion of Caesar’s Palace?_

*312 AD,* when Constantine I was converted to Christianity.

 

9.       _When and how did the Roman Empire stop the 300 years long persecution of the Church and killing of Christians for their Faith?_

*313 AD,* when the Toleration Edict of Milan was enacted during the Co-regent Tetrarchy of the Roman Empire, by Co-Caesar Constantine I (for the West), and Co-Caesar Licinus (for the East).

 

10.    _When did the annual Church Service for Christ’s Nativity begin to be referred to as *“CHRISTMAS”* in common parlance?_

In the *11^th Century,* but in the 20^th and 21^st today, they labour in futility to retract and change it to *“XMAS”!*

 

11.    _Initially, what longstanding Roman pagan Feast in official Roman Calendar was closest to the Church’s Nativity Commemoration on December 25^th?_

Saturnalia on 17^th December (not 25^th December) has always been the last feast found on every official Roman calendar till date. But 17^th December Saturnalia has nothing to do with Christ’s Nativity and Epiphany on 25^th December and 6^th January respectively.

 

NOTE

Even if any of these Church commemoration days were to have been used by pagans for their gods, yet no day could ever belong to pagan false idols, or should ever be left for godless superstitious paganism, because demonic idols have never created even a hair neither could they ever lay any claim to even an hour of any day!

_To agree to the superstition that any day could belong to any pagan idols is the basest idolatry which no Christian Faithful should ever be cajoled to succumb to. Never ever!_

*Every day belongs to God Who made all days by Himself and for Himself; so, all days belong to Christ who is the Lord of all days under the sun.*

 

12.    _When did Roman Mythra Cult members shift celebration of their Feast of the Sun to December 25^th ?_

*374 AD,* during the reign of Valentinian I who co-reigned with Valens his brother and was succeeded by his son Valentinian II from AD 375. Notwithstanding, this shift from August 28^th to December 25^th by the Mythra cult of the Sun was without recognition by any Pontifex of the East or West Roman Empire to fix it in any known official Roman Calendar, simply because the Empire had already become mainly Christian by then.

 

This is a Julian Roman calendar. As from 1st January of 45 BC, Julius Caesar introduced his Julian calendar in which the intercalary month (“INTER”) was removed and Quintilis (“QVI”) was named July (“IVL”) in his honour. The lengths of January to December were increased from 29, 28, 31, 29, 31, 29, 31, 29, 29, 31, 29, 29 days each to 31, 29, 31, 30, 31, 30, 31, 31, 30, 31, 30, 31 days.

*Notice that there is NO DECEMBER 25TH FEAST as often touted by many speculators today*.

 

13.    _What other pagan programmes are still being brought in to copy December 25^th and to clash with the Church’s Christmas, even till today?_

You can easily name very many end-of-year vile programmes and evil activities that many pagans still appoint to engage in even today, to clash with the time of the Church’s Service commemorating the Nativity of Christ.

 

14.    _So, who joined to copy or clash on 25^th December?_

To be sure, the Pagans of Mythra cult (whose examples are still followed today by secular persons pushing for worldly Xmas), not the official Roman Pontifices, were the ones who came to copy 25^th December from Christians and clashed with the Church’s earlier observed Christian Nativity Feast!!!

 

Jesus is Lord!

M E R R Y   C H R I S T M A S !

Ifechukwu U. Ibeme