Christmas and New Year’s Celebrations in Antiquity
Aleksander Krawczuk, professor of history and former minister of culture in Poland, wrote an article for Polityka, a weekly magazine in that country. After discussing the historical background of New Year’s celebrations, he stated:
“Were ancient Romans acquainted with New Year’s celebrations? There can be no doubt, especially when one considers imperial Rome. . . . Such gaieties were occasions of great joy and laxity. This in turn influenced the attitude ancient Christians had toward celebrating the official New Year. They considered the custom to be scandalous and thoroughly pagan, alien in form and spirit to the worshipers of enlightened religion. After all, sacrifices to deities were offered. For this reason the church categorically forbade its worshipers to have any part in New Year’s celebrations, especially in the gaieties.”
The professor then goes on to explain the fixing of the date for Christmas:
“The Roman custom of celebrating December 25 prevailed only from the fourth century. It was thus possible to Christianize the popular holiday of the Unconquered Sun.
“Despite the fall of its empire, Rome slowly but steadily forced first Western civilization and finally the whole world to accept its tradition and will regarding both calendar dates. Taking January 1 as the beginning of the new year, however, meant a triumph for a tradition of parties, feasts, wedding festivities, gift-giving, and wishes, and this in spite of the intense aversion of ancient Christians.”
Having established that New Year’s celebrations are of pagan origin, how does Professor Krawczuk feel about Christians’ sharing in these festivities? His own wish for Christians:
“That [Christians] should morally be in a position to repeat the words of their fellow believers of antiquity. When scoffed at by pagans who said: ‘What kind of religion is that, without splendid temples containing images and statues, without precious garments or liturgical vessels?’ the early Christians answered: ‘It is true that we are poor. But our temples are hearts full of love for God and neighbor; our liturgical garments are modesty, industriousness, submissiveness and humility; and the vessels are our good deeds.’”
Pointedly, the Bible states at 2 Corinthians 6:14-18 that Christians should “not harness [them]selves in an uneven team with unbelievers; how can uprightness and law-breaking be partners, or what can light and darkness have in common? How can Christ come to an agreement with Beliar and what sharing can there be between a believer and an unbeliever? The temple of God cannot compromise with false gods, and that is what we are—the temple of the living God. . . . ‘Get away from them, purify yourselves,’ says the Lord. ‘Do not touch anything unclean.’”—The New Jerusalem Bible, a Catholic translation.