Christmas Eve Feast
The last day of Advent, and the night the church keeps vigil. Mary and Joseph reach Bethlehem to be counted, and find no room; the reading is Luke 2:7, the verse that names the manger.
When it falls
The verses for the day
- And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.Luke 2:7
- For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.Isaiah 9:6
- But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, {though} thou be little among the thousands of Judah, {yet} out of thee shall he come forth unto me {that is} to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth {have been} from of old, from everlasting. {everlasting: Heb. the days of eternity}Micah 5:2
The moment in the Bible
The nativityLuke 2:7Read the passage → The place
Bethlehem, meaning "House of Bread," is most famous as the birthplace of Jesus Christ. Located about 10 kilometers south of Jerusalem, it was also the hometown of King David and the setting of the Book of Ruth. The prophet Micah foretold that the Messiah would come from this small town. Today, the Church of the Nativity marks the traditional site of Jesus' birth.
Nazareth is the town in Galilee where Jesus grew up and spent most of his life before his public ministry. It was a small, obscure village in ancient times, which led Nathanael to ask "Can anything good come from Nazareth?" The angel Gabriel appeared to Mary here to announce she would give birth to the Son of God. Jesus was known as "Jesus of Nazareth" throughout his ministry.
Those present
Around it in the year
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