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Wednesday, December 25, 2013In A.D. 350, Pope Julius I, bishop of Rome, proclaimed December 25 the official celebration date for the birthday of Christ and it has since become the most popular holiday among Christians.
The power of Christmas was dramatically demonstrated on Christmas Eve in 1914, when soldiers on both sides of the Western Front sung carols to each other. On Christmas Day troops along 2/3 of the Front declared a truce. In some places the truce lasted a week. A year later, sentries on both sides were ordered to shoot anyone who attempted a repeat performance.
Today's Random Fact:Christmas has its roots in pagan festivals such as Saturnalia (December 17-December 23), the Kalends (January 1-5), and Deus Sol Invictus or Birthday of the Unconquerable Sun (December 25). The Christians church heartily disapproved of such celebrations and co-opted the pagans by declaring December 25 as Christ's day of birth, though there is no evidence Christ was born on that day.
***Bonus Fact:Santa Claus is based on a real person, St. Nikolas of Myra (also known as Nikolaos the Wonderworker), who lived during the fourth century. Born in Patara (in modern-day Turkey), he is the world's most popular non-Biblical saint, and artists have portrayed him more often than any other saint except Mary.