December 25th
While Scripture never mentions the actual date of Christ’s birth, by the mid 4th Century scholars were in the practice of Christianizing ancient pagan festivals such as the Sol Invictus and the return of light to the world. What the icon, like Christmas itself, celebrates is not the date but the coming of God-Man into time and space.
The icon works on two planes and in a circular motion. The higher plane with the gold, angels and dark orb symbolizing the Trinity, is above the lower with the rocks, cave and figures. The circular motion begins with the announcement of the Good News to the shepherds and moves down to the midwives, St. Joseph, the Magi and culminating in the Virgin with her newborn Son in the cave. The Virgin gazes on her Son, in his swaddling clothes within the dark cave, not with joy but with sadness as she sees in both the prefiguration of his Passion and death wrapped in the same within the dark tomb.
The icon is a profoundly powerful meditation, not on the traditional joys and symbols of Christmas but the authentic meaning of the Incarnation.
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