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{21} With the _Sol Invictus_ was identified the figure of
Mithra, that strange eastern god whose cult resembled in so many ways the
worship of Jesus, and who was at one time a serious rival of the Christ
in the minds of thoughtful men.[6]{22} It was the sun-god, poetically
and philosophically conceived, whom the Emperor Julian made the centre of
his ill-fated revival of paganism, and there is extant a fine prayer of
his to "King Sun."{23}
What more natural than that the Church should choose this day to
celebrate the rising of her Sun of Righteousness with healing in His
wings, that she should strive thus to draw away to His worship some
adorers of the god whose symbol and representative was the earthly sun!
There is no direct evidence of deliberate substitution, but at all events
ecclesiastical writers soon after the foundation of Christmas made good
use of the idea |24| that the birthday of the Saviour had replaced the
birthday of the sun.[7]
Little is known of the manner in which the _Natalis Invicti_ was kept; it
was not a folk-festival, and was probably observed by the classes rather
than the masses.{24} Its direct influence on Christmas customs has
probably been little or nothing.


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