Why is Christmas celebrated on the 25th of December even though there is no proof that Jesus was born on that day?
It is perhaps ironic that the actual date for the Nativity or birth of the Christ Child, which our Western calendar system is based upon, is not known with certainty. Indeed, the Feast of Christmas was not an early festival for the church, like Resurrection Sunday (Easter) was, and in fact did not see general observance until the 4th century. The western church did not agree upon the current date of December 25 until the early part of the 5th century under Pope Leo I, though this date for Christmas was first mentioned in the 4th century illuminated manuscript the Chronography of 354.Some historians, especially in the Eastern Church, suggested that the date of Christmas was derived as 9 months after the Annunciation (to Mary) which is celebrated on March 25. This would place it on December 25. Many 18th century scholars, including Isaac Newton, argued that this date was picked to supplant the pagan year-end holiday Saturnalia that was celebrated by the Romans and many of whose customs survive today: decorations of evergreen, holly, mistletoe, feasting and the exchange of gifts.December 25, the ancient date for their Winter Solstice, was celebrated as the birthday of the “unconquerable sun” or dies natalis solis invicti when the sun’s transit was in the lowest point on the horizon with the shortest “day” of the year and then with longer days coming began its transit northward. Under the Christian calendar the 25th was to become known as the birth of the unconquerable Son.Bill Petro, your friendly neighborhood historianhttp://billpetro.com/history-of-...
Why do many Pentecostal and Charismatic churches not observe Good Friday with a service?
I think Mark Hamric nailed it.I am Episcopalian, and highly value the church year, with the ability to teach/reflect/meditate on the themes of Jesus over a substantial period, not just a few minutes. A prime example would be Advent, with its emphasis on preparation for the coming of Jesus, both in the years leading up to the incarnation, the persistent coming into our lives, and the coming in glory at the end of the age.Many protestant churches emphasise the one event, the resurrection, with the need that -whatever the main topic of the sermon, it should resolve to this point every Sunday.I have sometimes compared it to TV programming: one tradition is often like a 30 minute sitcom or 1 hour drama -it must hit its plot points and resolve by the end of the program. The other is more like a "mini series" where we stay with a particular theme for quite a while, fully resolving perhaps twice, or even once each year. Those would be Easter (perhaps) and the last Sunday before Advent -"Christ the King" Sunday. Advent through Easter mark the great events and themes in the earthly ministry, then the Ascension and Pentecost, followed by Trinity Sunday and thinking about how God works through the Church, all summed in the Sunday Celebration of Christ the King as the year ends for the First Sunday in Advent (and Advent can be either the last of the the old year, thinking about the 2nd coming, and the first of the new year, remembering the events leading up to His advent 2000+ years ago.)We Americans tend to have shorter attention spans, plus a desire to "tell the full story" get to an evangelistic appeal, before "this" Sunday opportunity is gone. Most evangelical traditions are loathe to leave that hanging until next week, or 3 weeks down the line.
Why is it called easter?
Put more simply: It was originally named after Eostremonat, the ancient name for the month of April.