Christmas History: Constantine’s Conversion

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How Christmas Day Was Decided: In 360 A.D. Emperor Constantine, follower of Mithras, converted to Christianity after seeing a vision of a cross of light against the sun with a sign that said By this sign shall you conquer. He conquered Rome, established Christianity as the state religion, and declared December 25th the birthday of Christ.

In 567 A.D. the Council of Tours declared the Twelve Days of Christmas from Christmas to Epiphany (December 25th to January 6th) festival time and made the birth and baptism of Jesus Christ a single celebration. Christmas Day was not an official Roman holiday until Charlemagne became emperor in 800 A.D. Until this point the year of the founding of Rome was the dividing line of all history and had been for a thousand years. Charlemagne had the new dating method put into effect in the East and West. (1, 2)