People left baffled after discovering Christmas wasn't always celebrated on December 25th
Christmas isn't always mainly celebrated on 25 December - and here's why.
While many of us spent yesterday (25 December) stuffing our faces with too many roasties, drinking a year's worth of Bailey's and opening presents, let's take a moment to remember what Christmas was originally all about - the birth of Jesus.
However, despite many of us believing December 25 has always been the main celebration of Christmas and the annual celebration of the birth of Jesus - it turns out that's not quite the case.
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If you celebrate Christmas each year and leap at the opportunity to devour a roast turkey and receive presents but don't actually know the history of the festive period, well, perhaps it's time to pick up a Bible.
You may've thought Christmas Day marked the exact day Jesus was born, but the Prince of Peace wasn't actually born on December 25.
The actual birth date of Jesus remains unclear, with the New Testament not providing a specific day he was born, however, some theories suggest 25 December was chosen by the Church because the Roman winter solstice festival of the birthday of the Unconquered Sun takes place on the same day.
Jacob Bar-Salibi - a 12th-century bishop - wrote in a manuscript: "It was a custom of the Pagans to celebrate on the same 25 December the birthday of the Sun, at which they kindled lights in token of festivity. In these solemnities and revelries, the Christians also took part.
"Accordingly, when the doctors of the Church perceived that the Christians had a leaning to this festival, they took counsel and resolved that the true Nativity should be solemnised on that day."
Other claims state December 25 was officially made the Christian celebration of Jesus by Pope Julius I in 350 AD, however, many have questioned this theory.
And the actual day Jesus was born?
Well, Jesus is believed by some biblical scholars to have been born between 6 BC and 4 BC, but again, this is all based on theory rather than fact.
And December 25 wasn't always the main day for focusing the celebrations either.
Instead of Christmas being mainly celebrated on 25 December like it is now, in the first three centuries of Christianity, Epiphany was the focus.
Epiphany is a Christian feast day which commemorates the visit of the Three Wise Men, Three Kings and Three Magi to Jesus.
It also celebrates the wedding at Cana - the place where the first miracle performed by Jesus took place - and the start of a period of worship known as Epiphanytide.
The traditional date for Epiphany isn't December 25, but January 6.
However, it's also celebrated on the first Sunday after January 1 in some countries too.
Some countries who are part of the Eastern Orthodox Church go by the Julian calendar and celebrate on 7 January, however, others use the Revised Julian Calendar which celebrates on 25 December.
The Armenian Apostolic Church uses the Gregorian calendar and celebrates Jesus' birth on the day of his baptism - January 6 - and a small Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem uses the Julian calendar, so while celebrating on the day of his baptism, the date is January 19 (on the Gregorian calendar used by many others).
And while it's a celebration which has been taking place for centuries, some people are only just realising December 25 doesn't actually mark the birth of Christ.
One X - formerly known as Twitter - user wrote: "Jesus wasn’t born on December 25?!"
"Merry Christmas! Contrary to popular belief, Jesus was not born on Christmas Day Dec. 25, but there is no doubt that Christ was born for the salvation of mankind anyway!" another added.
However, a third resolved: "Dates have no value at all. The most important thing is Jesus was born, Crucified for our Sins and Raised to glory for our Justification."
Topics: Christmas, Social Media, World News
Poppy Bilderbeck