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[[Image:Nativity htm.jpg|frame|right|[[Nativity]] of Christ Icon]]
The traditional '''[[icon]] ''' style of the '''[[Nativity|Nativity of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ]] ''' is from the 15th century, and attributed to Saint [[Andrew Rublev|Andrei Rublev]]. {{fact}} It depicts the Creator of the Universe universe entering history as a newborn babe. The icon of the Nativity alsoshows us also shows the effect of this event on the natural life of the world.
==Icon's Design==The background is an inhospitable world, the world since our the expulsion from [[Paradise]]. In the center of the Icon icon are [[Theotokos|Mary]], as the central figure depicted and disproportionately largefigure, resting at in a cave, and [[Jesus ]] as a baby in a manger wrapped in swaddling clothes. Around the Icon icon is much that deals with the [[Incarnation]] of Christ they are , explained below .
==Theology==
The icon has much symbolism. The helpless figure in swaddling clothes represents the complete submission of Christ to the physical conditions governing the human race.
===Star===The earth provides sky salutes Him with a cavestar, the light of wisdom. The animals watch Him in silent wonder This is a sign that Christ came for everyone: "For by it, those who worshiped the stars, were taught by a star to adore Thee, the Sun of Righteousness, and we humans offer Him one to know Thee, the Orient on high" (from the [[troparion]] of usChristmas). Some icons have three rays from the star, representing the Virgin MotherHoly [[Trinity]]. His manger is like The [[Magi]] and the shepherds bring their gifts, also a casket and his swaddling clothes sign that Christ came for everyone. The women on the bottom right are very much like the grave clothesmidwives. He This indicates that Jesus was born to die! in the normal way and would have needed washing, as a regular human baby would.
===Star[[Old Testament]] prophecy===Below the center are a tree, an ox, and an ass. The sky salutes tree is the "Jesse Tree" from [[prophecy]], which says that a shoot will sprout from the stump of Jesse (the father of King [[David]]): "A shoot shall sprout from the stump (tree) of Jesse and from his roots a bud shall blossom. The spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him with a star" ([[Book of Isaiah|Isaiah]] 11:1-2). The ox and the ass are also from an Old Testament prophecy: "The ox knows his owner, and the donkey his master's crib" (Isaiah 1:3). Sometimes they are shown near the Christ child, providing warmth from their breath. ===Joseph===The [[Righteous]] [[Joseph the Betrothed|Joseph]] is depicted away from Jesus and the Theotokos, off to the bottom left. This is because he was not involved in the [[miracle]] of the Incarnation of the Son of God, but he was the light protector of wisdomMary and Jesus. The old man speaking to him represents the devil bringing new doubts to Joseph. A sign The devil suggests that if the infant were truly divine He would not have been born in the human way. Christ came for everyone(This argument, assuming different forms, keeps on reappearing through the whole history of the Church. It is the basis of many [[heresy|heresies]].) In the person of Joseph, ''"For by itthe icon discloses not only his personal drama, those who worshipped but the starsdrama of all mankind, were taught by a star to adore Theethe difficulty of accepting that which is beyond reason, the Sun Incarnation of RighteousnessGod. ===Mary===Mary in the center, from her reclining position, looks at Joseph as if trying to overcome his doubts and temptations. She is not the most important figure in the icon, but the most dominant. Sometime she is depicted kneeling, still concerned. ===Angels===The [[angels]] are glorifying God, tending to know Theethe action, and ministering: announcing the Orient on high[[Gospel|Good News]] to the shepherds, or singing."'' Some Icons have three rays from To the starright, a young shepherd sits, representing wearing a wreath and playing his flute, showing the joy of the Holy TrinityGood News.
