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25th December

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c. 6 B.C. Christ is born?


Although most Christians celebrate December 25 as the birthday of Jesus Christ, no one in the first two Christian centuries claimed any knowledge of the exact day or year in which he was born--most were more interested in the story of his death. However, early in the 4th century, church leaders designated December 25, the birthday of the popular pagan god Mithras, as Jesus' official birth date. The celebration of the birth of Christ also took over the pagan winter solstice holiday that also fell in late December. From thereon, December 25 was to be observed by Christians at a holy Mass, or Christ's Mass. Today, one-third of the world's population celebrates the birth of Jesus on this day.

1991

Mikhail Gorbachev formally resigns as President of the Soviet Union.

1989

Deposed Communist leader Nicolae Ceausescu and his wife Elena are executed in Romania.

1986

An Iraqi Airways plane with 107 people aboard explodes and burns as it attempts a forced landing at a remote desert airstrip in Saudi Arabia. 62 passengers are killed.

1977

Israel's Prime Minister Menachem Begin meets Egypt's President Anwar Sadat at Ismailia, Egypt, for peace talks.

1974

In Australia, the town of Darwin is devastated by a cyclone.

1971

At least 140 are killed in a hotel fire in the Korean capital, Seoul.

1957

In Britain, Queen Elizabeth II's Christmas Day message is broadcast on television for the first time.

1950

The Stone of Scone is stolen from Westminster Abbey in London where it has rested for 650 years. Scottish Nationalists claim responsibility.

1941

World War II: Hong Kong surrenders to the Japanese.

1936

War Lords in China release Chiang Kai-Shek after kidnapping him and holding him for 12 days.

1933

17 year old goalkeeper Frank Swift makes his debut for Manchester City.

1932

King George V makes the first Royal Christmas Day broadcast to Britain and the British Empire.

1914

British and German troops facing each other in the trenches in the first year of World War I stage an impromptu Christmas Day truce and swap presents in No-Man's Land.

1901

Last main victory for the Boers in South Africa - defeating the British at Tweefontein.

1800

Britain's first Christmas Tree is put up at Windsor by Queen Charlotte.

1688

England's King James II escapes to France.

1683

Britian's Duke of Monmouth escapes to Holland;

1683

Spain declares war on France.

1582

Gregorian calendar is adopted in the Spanish Netherlands.

1066

William the Conqueror crowned King of England at Westminster Abbey.

1925

English actress Noele Gordon.

1918

Egyptian President Anwar Sadat.

1907

Scottish actor Andrew Cruickshank.

1870

Cosmebusinesswoman Helena Rubenstein.tics

1859

American motor engineer Louis Chevrolet.

1783

French sculptor Claude Claudion Michel.

1771

English writer Dorothy Wordsworth.

1977

English-born American film comedian Charles Chaplin aged 88.

1946

American comedian W.C Fileds aged 67.