Show REASON FOR CHRISTMAS tho observance of december 25 as no tho anniversary of our saviors birth has been maintained long enough to create a presumption in the belief thad that it Is an original institution of christen dom Nevert nevertheless belek the oldest authority for tho observance of that day as an the birthday of christ belongs to an epoch separated by a distance of three centuries from the original event and the fest festival ivia itself was celebrated on december 25 in the west before it was assigned to that day in the east fast it Is certain that in A D december 25 was observed in rome as the festival of the of christ the 1111 authority for this statement Is a festal calendar drawn up by the local church at rome in that year early tn in tho the third century 1 e about years before the compilation of this festal calendar bishop of portus had bad assigned wednesday ay december 25 in the forty second year of the reign of Augu augustus stuB as the date of our lords birth |