Feast Day: December 25th
“…Who for us and for our Salvation, came down from Heaven, and was Incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary, and became Human…”
Prayers
Apolytikion: Thy Nativity, O Christ our God, hath shined the light of knowledge upon the world; for thereby they that worshipped the stars were instructed by a star to Worship Thee, the Sun of Righteousness, and to know Thee, the Dayspring from on high. O Lord, Glory be to Thee.
Kontakion: Today the Virgin gives birth to Him Who is above all being, and the Earth offers the Cave to Him Whom no one can approach; Angels with Shepherds give glory, and Magi journey with a star; for us there has been born a little Child: God before the ages.
Troparion: Prepare O Bethlehem, for Eden has been opened to all! Adorn yourself O Ephratha, for the Tree of Life blossoms forth from the Virgin in the cave! Her womb is a spiritual paradise planted with the Divine Fruit: For if we eat of it, we shall live forever and not die like Adam. Christ comes to restore the image which He made in the beginning.
More beautiful Nativity Prayers
“Glory to God in the Highest, and on Earth peace, goodwill toward men!”
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Holy Quotes
“God became Man so that man can become god by Grace.” – Saint Athanasius the Great
“Christ, finding the Holy Body and Soul of the Virgin, builds for Himself a Living Temple, and as He had willed, formed there a Man from the Virgin; and, putting Him on, this day came forth; unashamed of the lowliness of our nature.” – Saint John Chrysostom
“My Christ, Your Love knows no limits.” – Saint Porphyrios of Kavsokalyvia
“I have been amazed that some are utterly in doubt as to whether or not the Holy Virgin is able to be called the Mother of God. For if Our Lord Jesus Christ is God, how should the Holy Virgin who bore Him not be the Mother of God?” – Saint Cyril of Alexandria
“This Christmas night bestowed peace on the whole world, so let no one threaten. This is the night of the Most Gentle One, let no one be cruel. This is the night of the Humble One, let no one be proud. Now is the day of joy, let us not revenge. Now is the day of Good Will, let us not be mean. In this Day of Peace, let us not be conquered by anger. Today the Bountiful impoverished Himself for our sake, so, rich one, invite the poor to your table. Today we receive a Gift for which we did not ask, so let us give alms to those who implore and beg us. This present Day cast open the Heavenly doors to our Prayers, let us open our door to those who ask our forgiveness.
Today the Divine Being took upon Himself the seal of our humanity, in order for humanity to be decorated by the Seal of Divinity.” – Saint Isaac the Syrian
“There is a new wonder in Heaven and on Earth: God is on Earth and man is in Heaven.” Saint Thalassios the Libyan.
“The Babe that I carry carries me, saith Mary.” Saint Ephrem the Syrian
‘”I remember,” said Saint Ephraim of Katounakia, “that I was astonished by everywhere in the Holy Lands, but when I went to the Cave of Bethlehem, there, my heart was broken! It was torn into a thousand pieces! And I said, ‘How was God born in this place, in this cave, without any consolation, like one thrown out of the city? This God Who could make anything for Himself, but, without complaint, far from every worldly comfort, during the night (and the coldest night of the year), the longest night of the year, in a totally abandoned place, He Who created everything — Heaven and Earth — He was born in this place! “And when I returned [to his cell on Mount Athos], I entered in and saw my blankets (what blankets did He have?), and I saw what I had, and I was ashamed, and said: ‘If God was born in that cave, how could I need all of these things?’ I saw pots and pans…” Metropolitan Athanasios of Lemesou, who was relating the story, comments that: “If I were to describe his pots…not even our dogs would eat from them! And if I could describe his bed…not even our pigs would we put in them! “But, he perceived his place to be a luxury, over the top. And from then on, when they would tell him: “Elder, your cell is small.” He would reply: “God was born in a cave. If I thought of God’s cave, well then, what could I say regarding my own?”
In the Protoevangelium, there is a scene regarding the Nativity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, when the Ever-Virgin Mary is about to give birth she sends Saint Joseph out to find a midwife to help in the delivery. Saint Joseph described walking through the night and experiencing all nature frozen in place. He saw birds paused midflight, people who were eating frozen mid-chew, and flowing river water stopped mid-splash. And he immediately noticed time resume its normal flow. He finds a midwife, however at this time Jesus Christ was already Born.