ANSWERS: 3
  • kwanzaa, you could consider it religious if they practice traditional religions on that date at all.
  • Most religions celebrate something on or near the 25th of december. I for one can't thnk of any religion or mythology that doesn't acctually. The Norse Mythology has something, buddhism, hinduism, you name it. It might not be central for some of them, but it is for most. FYI, the only reason that Christians do is because those who spread Christianity tried to replace celebrations so that people would stop believing in their old religions. There is no mention in the bible when Jesus was born. The 25th just was that important to that many different cultures, so it was a good idea. Just a fact. Anyway, the only religion I can think of of the top of my head who doesn't celebrate the winter solstice (which is what it acctually is all about, even though we have forgotten all about it), is scientology.
  • December 12 is la Virgen de Guadalupe's anniversary (or birthday if you will) in Mexico, and it is celebrated with festivals. "In 1523, just two years after the Aztec capital of Tenochitlan fell to Cortés and his Conquistadors, the first Roman Catholic missionaries arrived to begin the religious conquest of Mexico. Among their first converts was a man baptized with the Christian name Juan Diego. On the chilly morning of December 9, 1531, Juan Diego crossed the barren hill called Tepeyac to attend Mass. He was brought to a sudden halt by a blinding light and the sound of heavenly music. Before him appeared an astounding vision--a beautiful dark-skinned woman who, calling the Indian "my son", declared herself to be the Virgin Mary, the mother of Jesus Christ. She told Juan Diego it was her desire to have a church built on Tepeyac hill, and asked him to relay that message to Bishop Juan de Zumarraga.It was no easy task for the humble Indian to be granted an audience with the top prelate, but the persistent Juan Diego was finally admitted. The incredulous Bishop demanded that he be provided with some proof of the unlikely encounter. Confused and fearful, Juan Diego avoided Tepeyac for several days, but on December 12, while rushing to find a priest to attend a seriously ill uncle, he took a short cut across the hill. The Virgin once again appeared and Juan Diego told her of the Bishop's request. The Virgin instructed him to pick roses from the usually barren and desolate hill and deliver them to Zumarraga as the sign. Juan Diego gathered up the miraculous blossoms in his mantle and hurried off to complete his mission. Once again before the Bishop, he let the roses spill out before him. To the wonder of all assembled, a perfect image of La Virgen of Guadalupe was revealed emblazoned on Juan Diego's cloak. Juan Diego's mantle, carefully preserved in the new Basilica, has been subjected to extensive analysis over the years. Experts have authenticated the fabric as dating to the 16th century, but have been unable to determine the type of pigment from which the image was rendered. It seems doubtful that in the Colonial era in Mexico human hands were capable of creating a portrait of its exquisite nature. It is even doubtful it can be done in Mexico today. Most wonderous of all, after 465 years, the image of the Virgen de Guadalupe remains clearly imprinted on the miraculous cloak without visible signs of deterioration." "The origin of the name Guadalupe has always been a matter of controversy. It is nevertheless believed that the name came about because of the translation from Nahuatl to Spanish of the words used by the Virgin during the apparition to the ailing uncle of Juan Diego. It is believed that Our Lady used the Aztec Nahuatl word of coatlaxopeuh which is pronounced "quatlasupe" and sounds remarkably like the Spanish word Guadalupe. Coa meaning serpent, tla being the noun ending which can be interpreted as "the", while xopeuh means to crush or stamp out. So Our Lady must have called herself the one "who crushes the serpent1." Serpent-god Quetzalcoatl. Certainly, in this case She crushed the serpent, and few years later millions of the natives were converted to Christianity. And the human sacrifices ended." http://www.cancunsteve.com/guadalupe.htm

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