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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 [[Theotokos|Virgin Mary]], assisted by her husband St. [[Joseph the Betrothed|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.
Though three magi from the East are commonly depicted to have visited as visiting during the eventitself (or twelve days thereafter, in [[Roman Catholic]] tradition, bearing gifts of gold, [[frankincense]], and [[myrrh]], the Bible records the coming of an unspecified number of wise men as being a few years after Jesus' birth. 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.
The beginning of the fast on [[November 15]] is not liturgically marked by any hymns, but five days later, on the eve of the Feast of the [[Presentation of the Theotokos]], we hear the first announcement from the nine "Irmoi" of the Christmas Canon: "Christ is born, glorify Him!"
This period includes other special preparatory days announcing the approaching Nativity, : [[Apostle Andrew|St Andrew's]] Day , [[November 30]], ; [[Nicholas of Myra|St Nicholas]] Day, [[December 6]], ; the [[Sunday of the Forefathers]], ; and the [[Sunday of the Fathers]].
[[December 20]]th begins the [[Forefeast]] of the Nativity. The liturgical structure is similar to the [[Holy week Week]] preceding [[Pascha]]. The Orthodox Church sees the birth of the Son of God as the beginning of the saving ministry which will lead Him, for the sake of man’s salvation, to the ultimate sacrifice of the Cross.
===Eve of the Nativity===
On the eve of the Nativity, the [[Royal Hours]] are read and the [[Divine Liturgy]] of St. [[Basil the Great]] is served with [[Vespers]]. At these services the [[Old Testament]] prophecies of Christ's birth are chanted.
===Christmas vigil===
The Vigil of Christmas begins with Great Compline because Vespers was has already been served. At Compline there is the singing of the [[Troparion]] and [[Kontakion]] of the feast with special hymns glorifying the Saviour's birth. There are also the special long litanies of intercession and the solemn blessing of the five loaves of bread together with the wheat, wine, and oil . The faithful partake of the bread soaked in the wine and the faithful are also anointed with the oil. This part of the festal vigil, which is done on all great feasts, is called in Slavonic the ''litya'', and in Greek, it is called the ''artoklasia,'' or the breaking of the bread.
The order of [[Matins]] is that of a great feast. Here, for the first time, the full Canon "Christ is born," , is sung while the faithful venerate the [[Nativity icon]].
===Christmas Liturgy ===
Concluding the celebration of the Nativity of Christ is the Liturgy. It begins with psalms of glorification and praise instead on of the three normal [[Antiphons]]. The troparion and kontakion mark the entrance with the Book of the Gospels. The baptismal line from Galatians 3:27 once again replaces the [[Trisagion|Thrice-Holy]]. The Epistle reading is from Galatians 4:4-7, and the Gospel reading is the familiar Christmas story from Matthew (2:1-12), and then the liturgy continues in the normal fashion.
===Twelve days of Christmas===
The second day of the feast, starts a two -day celebration of the [[Synaxis]] of the [[Theotokos]]. Combining the hymns of the Nativity with those celebrating the Mother of God, the Church points to Mary as the one through whom the [[Incarnation]] was made possible. St [[Apostle Stephen the Protomartyr|Stephen]], the First Martyr , is also remembered on these two days.
On the Sunday after Christmas the Church [[Apostle James the Just|James the Brother of Our Lord]], [[David]] the King, and [[Joseph the Betrothed]].
