Fr. Garabed Kochakian
Although the word “Christmas” is never used in scripture, the word itself means “Christ's Mass,” a day (a season) to remember the Birth of Jesus. The story is told in the New Testament Gospels of Matthew and Luke and is also hinted at in the Gospel of John. Matthew's account focuses on Joseph's role and includes the angel's announcement - that was in a dream to Joseph - of Jesus' Birth, the Magi's search for the child, and another dream wherein the angel warns Joseph to take Mary and Jesus and flee to Egypt. But it is in Luke’s Gospel that we learn of what occurred that Holy Night.
. . . And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; He is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes (bands of linen cloth) and lying in a manger.”
Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.” [2: 1-21]
A CLOSER LOOKE AT THE ICONOGRAPHY
The original design of this Icon of the Nativity comes from an Armenian hymnal painted in the 17th century by a Priest named Hagop. Presently it is kept at the Walters Art Museum, Baltimore MD.
In this Icon we see the reclining Virgin and Infant are both at the center with beams of light emanating outward. The position of St. Mary indicates the human need of resting after giving birth. Her identity is marked with the Armenian letters ԱԾՆ which translated means Birth-Giver of God.
Against a darkened blue sky are these luminous rays that recall the bright star of wonder that led the three Magi from the eastern lands to visit the Child and His mother. Hovering over the head of Jesus are a cow and an ox. The popular legend describes, and influenced with the words from the Christmas carol “Away in a Manger,” including the verse, “the cattle were lowing mooing or bellowing, the baby awakes, but little Lord Jesus, no crying he makes” He is identified with the Armenian letters abbreviated as ՅՍ ՔՍ meaning Jesus Christ [The Messiah]
It was the warmth of the animal’s breath that spared the newly born infant from the coldness of the night. The greenery surrounding the central images evokes the location of the hills where the shepherds were watching their flocks at night.
Above the central images, to the left and to the right are two-winged angels of the heavenly host. Their inclusion resonates the proclamation to shepherds, the glory of God and His promise of peace to men of good will. Halos crowns the heads of the Virgin, the Angels and also the Lord Himself wrapped in swaddling clothes. Note the uniqueness of Jesus’ halo with the inscribed cross that foreshadows what was yet to come in His life.
In Armenian Sacred Art it is also worthy to note the covering of Jesus’ body and the location. These both have an important message and a double meaning. The darkness in the cave behind the infant portends the tomb in which He would be laid to rest after His death. His swaddling bands of linen foretells of the shroud in which He would be wrapped for burial in the darkness of a tomb.
Additionally, in liturgical Icons of the Nativity in the Armenian Orthodox tradition, the image never depicts the great miracle of God’s birth among people of the earth in the setting of a stable or structure as in western sacred art; rather the event is always shown to be in a cave.
The Gospel accounts verify this- declaring that she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn. [Luke 2:27]
The word manger from the Old French mangier (meaning "to eat"), - a feeding trough/ box for the animals. The Armenian word m’soor / մսուր in scripture is used for manger, meaning a ‘feeding box’ in Armenian geradashd / կերատաշտ. On that Holy Night, this box
became the crib for the baby, i.e., the place where Mary laid Jesus after his birth because there was no room for them at the inn.
That emptiness in mankind’s hearts, the cavernous darkness in us, is filled with Joy with the birth of God. Christ Jesus the Lord. As He lay in the manger in the May the darkness of that night and place where He was born, may those rays of His Light flood our hearts with Hope, Love and Charity- The Reason for the Season.
Christ is Born and God is Revealed/ Քրիստոս Ծնաւ եւ Յայտնեցաւ
The Visitation of the Magi to the Savior Who came to earth to bring us to Heaven
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