Schulz's Beethoven: Schroeder's Muse
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page 62 of 156

Charles Schulz
Peanuts •  12/08/1958

According to Roman Catholic tradition, babies were normally baptized on the day of their birth. However, if the weather was too harsh to take a newborn to church or if the birth was late in the day, parents would wait until the following day to hold the ceremony. Thus, while we know that Beethoven was baptized on Monday, December 17, 1770, he may have been born on Monday or Sunday. December 16 was the date that Beethoven's family celebrated his birthday.