[HPforGrownups] OT Re: Hannukkah, was: Essays, OT:Ebony

[Amanda Lewanski]

No: HPFGUIDX 7185

Rita Winston wrote:

> It's not really a COMPLETELY coincidental nearness to Xmas: both are
> at times set by the Winter Solstice. I think it is no longer
> controversial to say that, whenever Jesus ben Joseph's birthday is,
> it is not in mid-winter (when shepherds are not watching their flocks
> in the fields by night) but the Celebration was placed then in order
> to compete with the Pagan celebration of Mithras's birthday on Winter
> Solstice.

I also had heard a theory that they placed it near the Mithran celebration
to disguise their own observances, in the days of persecution. Got no
reference, just a dim memory of reading this someplace.

--Amanda