Christmas imagery blends ancient symbols, such as fir trees, mistletoe, holly, and ivy, with figures from the Nativity like the infant Jesus, the Virgin Mary, angels, and shepherds.
This combination reveals the historical layering of Christmas over much older midwinter festivities.
Interestingly, some historians argue that the significance of Jesus’ birth during this season might have never gained prominence without the catastrophic pandemic that struck the Roman Empire in the third century AD.
The Rise of Christianity
The New Testament depicts Jesus as a remarkable figure with profound teachings, miraculous deeds, and the promise of eternal life.
Yet, at the time of his crucifixion around AD 33, he was viewed mainly as a leader of a small Jewish sect.
When he ascended, the Bible notes that Jesus had around 120 followers.
After Peter delivered an impactful sermon, this number surged to 3,000 in a day, but the rapid growth soon slowed down significantly.
Initially focused on converting the Jewish population of Palestine, Jesus’ disciples redirected their efforts towards Gentiles when these attempts largely faltered.
They did see some success, but most people in the empire remained committed to the Roman pantheon.
By AD 200, the Christian community had grown to about 150,000, making up roughly 0.25% of the Roman Empire’s total population.
Bart D. Ehrman, a biblical scholar, likens this figure to the current percentage of Jehovah’s Witnesses in the UK.
A significant transformation occurred by the late third century, demonstrated by a marked increase in Christian burials within Rome’s catacombs and an uptick in Christian names recorded on surviving papyrus documents from Egypt.
By AD 300, the number of Christians in the empire had reached an estimated 3 million.
Changing Times and Beliefs
The turning point came in 312 when Emperor Constantine embraced Christianity, officially declaring Sunday a day of rest and allocating government resources for church construction, including significant projects like the Church of the Resurrection in Jerusalem and Old St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome.
By 380, Christianity became the Roman Empire’s official religion.
Concurrently, paganism endured what Edward Gibbon termed a “total extirpation,” as ancient deities that had anchored Greco-Roman life for centuries began to disappear.
The Romans’ enthusiastic embrace of Christianity during the third and fourth centuries prompts crucial questions.
Why did Roman society become so receptive to this new belief system at that particular moment in history?
At its zenith, the Roman Empire spanned from Hadrian’s Wall to the Red Sea and from the Atlantic Ocean to the Black Sea, housing around 1 million in its capital.
City populations flourished, with Alexandria around 500,000 and both Antioch and Carthage hosting over 100,000 residents.
Trade and travel were inherently woven into the lives of many, with merchants frequently traversing the extensive Mediterranean networks.
While such vastness and connectivity spurred advancements, it also laid the groundwork for devastating pandemics.
The Plague of Cyprian first emerged in Egypt around 249 and reached Rome in 251, wreaking havoc for at least 20 years.
Historians believe this pandemic could have helped ignite a period of political and economic instability, known as the Crisis of the Third Century, which endangered the empire’s very fabric.
While the exact pathogen remains uncertain, Bishop Cyprian of Carthage described symptoms indicative of a severe illness: high fevers, vomiting, and intense bleeding.
Experts suggest it resembled a viral hemorrhagic fever akin to Ebola, with historical accounts reporting alarming daily death tolls in the thousands.
In Alexandria, the population reportedly plummeted from around 500,000 to about 190,000, although some argue these figures might be exaggerated.
Nonetheless, the pandemic undeniably posed a dire threat to society.
The Comfort of Christianity
Faced with the pervasive mortality surrounding them, people naturally began to seek answers regarding their suffering and ponder what lay beyond life itself.
Historians Kyle Harper and Rodney Stark contend that Christianity gained popularity during the Plague of Cyprian because it offered a comforting perspective amid chaos.
Unlike the unpredictable and often uncaring Greco-Roman deities, which could visit plagues without warning, Christianity provided a message of reassurance.
Suffering on Earth was reinterpreted as a trial, leading towards the promise of heaven.
In addition to eternal life, Christianity emphasized helping those in dire need.
Adherents were encouraged to practice compassion, actively caring for those afflicted by illness and poverty.
Early Christians took considerable risks to provide food, hydration, and shelter to the needy, echoing modern healthcare guidelines during crises.
The survival of many Christians during the pandemic, along with their dedication to assisting neglected pagans, testified to the faith’s appeal and its capacity for growth.
Had it not been for the extraordinary acts of kindness and care during this turbulent time, Christianity might have remained a minor sect rather than expanding into a widespread movement.
In such an alternate scenario, while evergreen decorations might still symbolize nature’s resilience in winter, the Nativity story could have faded from collective memory altogether.
Source: The guardian
