A yearned for by billions of children, Christmas is celebrated on December 25th, at least for those whose religion respects this tradition. Assuming that it should celebrate the birth of the baby Jesus, many would tend to believe that it has always been a Christian holiday. However, the Nativity, since such is its…
Every year, billions of people around the world celebrate Christmas, but few celebrate the birth of the baby Jesus. Set on December 25, this date is purely conventional, as historically speaking, the day and year of Jesus of Nazareth's birth are not known. Even the…
The Star of Bethlehem features in the Nativity story, as mentioned in a passage in the Gospel of Matthew. This star is said to have guided the Magi, who had come from the East, to Jerusalem, where they met King Herod of Judea, and to have asked him where the King of the Jews was who…
The Magi, known as Melchior, Balthazar, and Caspar, feature in most Christmas nativity scenes, alongside shepherds, sheep, a donkey, and an ox. Coming from foreign countries to pay homage to the baby Jesus, they each held a gift of great symbolic value:…
The idea of a cave converted into a stable, in which the Child Jesus was born, comes from the Gospel of Luke in the Bible. Indeed, when speaking of the manger where the Child was laid, he mentions the word 'cripia' from which the word 'crèche' would later come. A little history... From the third century, Christians took...
