The Roman religion of Mithra, the sun-god, seeped into Christianity during the rule ( ever after) of Constantine.
Picture a mass conversion, dwarfing the existing Christians, of pagans into Christianity. With them follows their paganistic beliefs. The many new priests to accommodate such an influx were in many cases, pagan priests simply switching sides. Mithra, the religion of the elites & military had an impact.
* They pictured Christ driving a chariot across the sky like in Mithraism
* They honored Sunday, the holy day of Mithra
* They kept Christ's Mass on the day of the birth of the sun (Mithra) on December 25
And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:
Picture a mass conversion, dwarfing the existing Christians, of pagans into Christianity. With them follows their paganistic beliefs. The many new priests to accommodate such an influx were in many cases, pagan priests simply switching sides. Mithra, the religion of the elites & military had an impact.
* They pictured Christ driving a chariot across the sky like in Mithraism
* They honored Sunday, the holy day of Mithra
* They kept Christ's Mass on the day of the birth of the sun (Mithra) on December 25
* They transferred the crown of thorns of Christ into the crown of light rays of Helios-hence the halo
2 Thessalonians 2:11