CHRISTMAS HISTORY

• In 350 AD, Pope Julius 1 declared December 25 as the official date of Christ's birth.
• In 354 AD, "Christ's Mass" was celebrated for the first time in celebration of the birthday of Jesus.
• Bells were not used at Masses until 500 AD.  Until that time they were considered a pagan instrument.
• In 1601 AD, the Pope instructed churches to use greenery as decoration for Christmas celebrations.  Before that time evergreens were forbidden in churches and considered a pagan symbol.
• The Church originally did not approve of Christmas carols and considered the singing of them a secular custom.  It wasn't until 1223 that St. Francis of Assisi introduced carols imto the formal worship of the church during a Christmas Midnight Mass.  At that Mass, the music and songs that accompanied the Mass were simple carols not hymns.  The custom was greatly loved and carols are sung at liturgies to this day.