Episode

Theatre Kids and the Pope: Origins and Legends of the Christmas Tree

Podcast: Unbelief
Published: Nov 30, 2025
Duration seconds: 1302
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Summary

Forget the “it’s pagan” nonsense. The Christmas tree’s story is far wilder: a pope’s missionary memo, a bishop with an axe, medieval theater kids hauling evergreens onstage, and Victorian influencers turning it viral. We dig into how this mash-up of pagans, priests, and actors became the most hopeful ritual of winter.