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Every December the same claim pops up: Christmas is just repackaged Roman paganism—Saturnalia with a cross on top. But when you actually read what third-century Christians wrote, the story falls apart. Greg walks through the real reason the Church landed on December 25 (spoiler: it starts in Rome around 204 AD), dismantles the Saturnalia and Sol Invictus objections with primary sources, and shows why the gift-giving and trees are Victorian, not ancient Roman. A calm, sourced, charitable look at why the Catholic Church celebrates Christmas when she does—and why you can too without compromising with paganism.
SUPPORT THIS SHOW Considering Catholicism is 100% listener-supported. If this podcast has helped you on your journey, please become a patron today! For as little as $5/month you get: • Every regular episode ad-free and organized into topical playlists • Exclusive bonus content (extra Q&As, Deep-Dive courses, live streams, and more) • My deepest gratitude and a growing community of like-minded listeners
➡️ Join now: https://patreon.com/consideringcatholicism (or tap the Patreon link in your podcast app)
One-time gift: Donate with PayPal!
CONNECT WITH US • Website & contact form: https://consideringcatholicism.com • Email: [email protected] • Leave a comment on Patreon (I read every one!)
RATE & REVIEW If you enjoy the show, please leave a rating (and even better, a review) on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen — it really helps new listeners find us.
SHARE THE SHOW Know someone who’s curious about Catholicism? Send them a link or share an episode on social media. Thank you!
Christus vincit, Christus regnat, Christus imperat.
By Greg Smith4.9
138138 ratings
Every December the same claim pops up: Christmas is just repackaged Roman paganism—Saturnalia with a cross on top. But when you actually read what third-century Christians wrote, the story falls apart. Greg walks through the real reason the Church landed on December 25 (spoiler: it starts in Rome around 204 AD), dismantles the Saturnalia and Sol Invictus objections with primary sources, and shows why the gift-giving and trees are Victorian, not ancient Roman. A calm, sourced, charitable look at why the Catholic Church celebrates Christmas when she does—and why you can too without compromising with paganism.
SUPPORT THIS SHOW Considering Catholicism is 100% listener-supported. If this podcast has helped you on your journey, please become a patron today! For as little as $5/month you get: • Every regular episode ad-free and organized into topical playlists • Exclusive bonus content (extra Q&As, Deep-Dive courses, live streams, and more) • My deepest gratitude and a growing community of like-minded listeners
➡️ Join now: https://patreon.com/consideringcatholicism (or tap the Patreon link in your podcast app)
One-time gift: Donate with PayPal!
CONNECT WITH US • Website & contact form: https://consideringcatholicism.com • Email: [email protected] • Leave a comment on Patreon (I read every one!)
RATE & REVIEW If you enjoy the show, please leave a rating (and even better, a review) on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen — it really helps new listeners find us.
SHARE THE SHOW Know someone who’s curious about Catholicism? Send them a link or share an episode on social media. Thank you!
Christus vincit, Christus regnat, Christus imperat.

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