The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #54907 Message #851848
Posted By: Allan C.
21-Dec-02 - 04:40 PM
Thread Name: History of 8th of January
Subject: RE: History of 8th of January
According to an article I just cited in another Christmas thread:
In the first few centuries AD, Christmas as such did not exist - the Christian Church only celebrated the festival of the Resurrection (Easter). According to a Roman almanac, Christmas was being celebrated in Rome by 336 AD. In 354 AD Pope Liberus instituted the Nativity on 25 December. (In the Armenian Church, Christmas on 25 December was never accepted; Christ's birth is celebrated on 6 January.)
After Christmas was established in the East, the baptism of Jesus was celebrated on Epiphany, 6 January. In the West, however, Epiphany was the day on which the visit of the Magi to the infant Jesus was celebrated.
I haven't seen anything about the date having been moved to the 8th. I'd be curious to know about that.