NIAGARA FALLS REPORTER DEC 18 - JAN 02, 201314

Christmas is the celebration of the Birth of Christ

18. Now the birth of Jesus Christ wason this wise: When as his motherMary was espoused to Joseph, beforethey came together, she was foundwith child of the Holy Ghost.

The Nativity, Arthur Hughes, 1858

The Nativity, Conrad von Soest,1403

Jans tot Sint Geertgen, 1490

The Virgin of the Veil, AambrogioBorgognone, 1500

19 Then Joseph her husband, being ajust man, and not willing to make hera public example, was minded to puther away privily.

20 But while he thought on thesethings, behold, the angel of the Lordappeared unto him in a dream, saying,Joseph, thou son of David, fear not totake unto thee Mary thy wife: for thatwhich is conceived in her is of the HolyGhost.

21 And she shall bring forth a son, andthou shalt call his name Jesus: for heshall save his people from their sins.

24 Then Joseph being raised fromsleep did as the angel of the Lord hadbidden him, and took unto him hiswife: 3 And all went to be taxed, every one

into his own city.

6 And so it was, that, while they werethere, the days were accomplished thatshe should be delivered.

22 Now all this was done, that it mightbe fulfilled which was spoken of theLord by the prophet, saying,

Giotto, Scrovegni Chapel, 1305

Altarpiece of the Virgin, JacquesDarat, 1433

Domenico Ghirlandaio, Adorationof the Shepherds, 1485

Adoration of the Shepherds, Gior-gione,1500

Duccio di Buoninsegna, 1308Piero della Francesca, 1470

Lorenzo Costa, 1490

Gerard David, circa 151023 Behold, a virgin shall be with child,and shall bring forth a son, and theyshall call his name Emmanuel, whichbeing interpreted is, God with us.

1 And it came to pass in those days,that there went out a decree from Cae-sar Augustus that all the world shouldbe taxed.

2 And this taxing was first made whenCyrenius was governor of Syria.

5 To be taxed with Mary his espousedwife, being great with child.

25 And knew her not till she hadbrought forth her firstborn son: andhe called his name Jesus.

4 And Joseph also went up fromGalilee, out of the city of Nazareth,into Judaea, unto the city of David,which is called Bethlehem; (because hewas of the house and lineage of David:)

Luke 2: 1-20

Mathew 1: 18-25

Mathew and Luke describe the birth of Christ

Gerard David, circa 1510 Antonio Allegri, called Correggio,1528

The Birth of Christ, FedericoBarocci, 1597 Marten de Vos, 1577

Albrecht Altdorfer, 1513Pieter Bruegel, 1564

The Nativity with Sts Francis andLawrence, Caravaggio, 1609

Michael Pacher, The St. WolfgangAltarpiece, 1503

The Concert of Angels and the Na-tivity, Matthias Grünewald, 1515

Adoration of the Kings, Hendrik terBrugghen, 1619 Gerard van Honthorst, 1622

Peter Paul Rubens, 1634

7 And she brought forth her firstbornson, and wrapped him in swaddlingclothes, and laid him in a manger; be-cause there was no room for them inthe inn.

8 And there were in the same countryshepherds abiding in the field, keepingwatch over their flock by night.

11 For unto you is born this day in thecity of David a Saviour, which is Christthe Lord.

14 Glory to God in the highest, and onearth peace, good will toward men.

9 And, lo, the angel of the Lord cameupon them, and the glory of the Lordshone round about them: and theywere sore afraid.

12 And this shall be a sign unto you; Yeshall find the babe wrapped in swad-dling clothes, lying in a manger.

15 And it came to pass, as the angelswere gone away from them intoheaven, the shepherds said one to an-other, Let us now go even unto Bethle-hem, and see this thing which is cometo pass, which the Lord hath madeknown unto us.

10 And the angel said unto them, Fearnot: for, behold, I bring you good tid-ings of great joy, which shall be to allpeople.

13 And suddenly there was with theangel a multitude of the heavenly hostpraising God, and saying,

16 And they came with haste, andfound Mary, and Joseph, and the babelying in a manger.

17 And when they had seen it, theymade known abroad the saying whichwas told them concerning this child.

18 And all they that heard it wonderedat those things which were told themby the shepherds.

19 But Mary kept all these things, andpondered them in her heart.

20 And the shepherds returned, glori-fying and praising God for all thethings that they had heard and seen,as it was told unto them.