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| - Somewhere around 6-4 B.C., the angel Gabriel visited the virgin Mary, who was going to be married to Joseph. Gabriel told her she was going to have a baby, and that it would be God's baby. Before she was married she became pregnant with this holy child, so Joseph decided to call off the wedding, but was encouraged to get married by Gabriel. They both travelled to Joseph's hometown Bethlehem because a census was taking place. There was no room in the inn at Bethlehem, so Mary was forced to give birth in a cave where animals were kept. The baby was born in a feeding trough.
- The Nativity according to the flesh of our Lord, God and Saviour Jesus Christ, also called Christmas, is one of the Great Feasts of the Orthodox Church, celebrated on December 25. In the fullness of time, our Lord Jesus Christ was born to the Holy Theotokos and Virgin Mary, thus entering into the world as a man and revealing Himself to mankind. At least, this is the urban myth promligated by both heterodox Christians and unbelivers for centuries.
- The Nativity refers to the birth of Jesus Christ. The angel Gabriel announced to Mary that she would conceive Jesus by the power of the Holy Spirit. Joseph, her betrothed, considered quietly divorcing Mary, but he was visited by an angel in a dream and encouraged to take her as his wife. Mary and Joseph travelled to the city of David which is called Bethlehem, to be enrolled in a census when Quirinus was governor of Syria. There were shepherds abiding in the fields, keeping watch over their flocks by night, when a choir of angels announced the birth of Jesus. Magi from the East brought gifts of Gold, Frankensinse, and Myrrh, following yonder star to Bethlehem. Along the way they stopped to visit Herod in his Palace asking to see the new King that had been born. Herod grew jealous and slaug
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| abstract
| - The Nativity according to the flesh of our Lord, God and Saviour Jesus Christ, also called Christmas, is one of the Great Feasts of the Orthodox Church, celebrated on December 25. In the fullness of time, our Lord Jesus Christ was born to the Holy Theotokos and Virgin Mary, thus entering into the world as a man and revealing Himself to mankind. According to the Bible and to Holy Tradition, Jesus was born in the city of Bethlehem in a cave, surrounded by farm animals and shepherds. The baby Jesus was born into a manger from the Virgin Mary, assisted by her husband St. Joseph. St. Joseph and the Theotokos were forced to travel due to a Roman census; the odd location of the birth was the result of the refusal of a nearby inn to accommodate the expecting couple (Luke 2:1-20). Since it is known historically that dwellings were built directly over such caves housing livestock--in order to make use of the heat Though three magi from the East are commonly depicted as visiting during the event itself (or, in Roman Catholic tradition, twelve days thereafter), the Bible records the coming of an unspecified number of wise men as being a few years after Jesus' birth (see Matthew 2). In either case, these magi came bearing gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh (Matt 2:11). In the hymnography for the feast, these gifts are interpreted to signify Christ's royalty, divinity, and suffering. Though Jesus' birth is celebrated on December 25, most scholars agree that it is unlikely he was actually born on this date. The choice of December 25 for the Church's celebration of the Nativity is most likely to have been in order to squelch attendance at pagan solstice festivals falling on the same day. At least, this is the urban myth promligated by both heterodox Christians and unbelivers for centuries. However, the solstice festival fell on the 21st of December. To suggest that The Church chose a day of sacred observance defensivly instead of pro-actively is to devalue and disregard the sacred and authoritative action of The Church in establishing a proper date for the observance of The Nativity of Christ The Lord. Others within The Orthodox Church have observed that, under Hebrew law, male infant's were both circumcised and received their name eight days after their birth. (See The Account of The Circumcision and Naming of John--The Forerunner and Baptist--in The Gospel according to The Apostle Saint Luke 1:59-66, and The Account of The Circumcision and Naming of Christ The Lord as Jesus in Luke 2:21 ) Also, within The Orthodox Church, January 1st is celebrated as the "name day" of The Lord Christ Jesus. Thus, the selection of December 25th to celebrate the nativity of The Christ (who would not be named for eight more days) would appear to have been a conscious counting backward from the first day of the calendar year--the day of his being proclaimed Son of Man--to the date of His birth, the day of his being proclaimed Son of God.
- The Nativity refers to the birth of Jesus Christ. The angel Gabriel announced to Mary that she would conceive Jesus by the power of the Holy Spirit. Joseph, her betrothed, considered quietly divorcing Mary, but he was visited by an angel in a dream and encouraged to take her as his wife. Mary and Joseph travelled to the city of David which is called Bethlehem, to be enrolled in a census when Quirinus was governor of Syria. There were shepherds abiding in the fields, keeping watch over their flocks by night, when a choir of angels announced the birth of Jesus. Magi from the East brought gifts of Gold, Frankensinse, and Myrrh, following yonder star to Bethlehem. Along the way they stopped to visit Herod in his Palace asking to see the new King that had been born. Herod grew jealous and slaughtered every male child in Bethlehem under the age of 2, but the Holy Family escaped to Egypt.
- Somewhere around 6-4 B.C., the angel Gabriel visited the virgin Mary, who was going to be married to Joseph. Gabriel told her she was going to have a baby, and that it would be God's baby. Before she was married she became pregnant with this holy child, so Joseph decided to call off the wedding, but was encouraged to get married by Gabriel. They both travelled to Joseph's hometown Bethlehem because a census was taking place. There was no room in the inn at Bethlehem, so Mary was forced to give birth in a cave where animals were kept. The baby was born in a feeding trough. Nearby there were shepherds camped out on the hills. Shepherds were the lowest of the low, but a host of angels came down to them, proclaiming that the Messiah, or promised one had been born. They rushed down to see Jesus, bringing with them the gift of a lamb. Far away, several Wise Men discovered a new star, which had been said to prophesied the coming of the Messiah. They travelled to Jerusalem, where they met with King Herod to see where the baby was. Herod didn't know about Jesus so he ordered them to find the baby so he could worship him too. The Wise Men found the infant Jesus and gave him gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. They were warned in a dream not to return to Herod, so when they did not return Herod, who was jealous of someone who threatened his reign ordered all baby boys under two to be ruthlessly murdered. Jesus escaped by fleeing the country until Herod was dead. But the story doesn't end there. Jesus went on to do great things, even dying on a cross to save us from sin.
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