December 25

Events

• 1: Jesus Christ was born in Bethlehem (according to St. Dionysius the Lesser).
• 390: Byzantine Emperor, Theodosius I accepts responsibility for mass killings that occurred in Thessaloniki.
• 858: Photius the Great is named Patriarch of Constantinople in place of Ignatius I who was deposed. The event led to a strain in the relations of the Eastern Orthodox Church with the Roman Catholic Church which refused to accept the appointment.

Deaths

• 1966: Nikolaos Dandolas, known as Nick the Greek, dies at the age of 80. He is considered the biggest gambler in american history. A short while before he got sick he played pocker for 8 days