[[Image:NativityTheophany.jpg|100px|left]]The '''''[[Nativity]] according to the flesh of our Lord, God and Saviour [[Jesus ChristTheophany]]''''', also called (from Greek '''Christmas'theophania'', meaning "appearance of God") is one of the [[Great Feasts]] of the [[Orthodox Church]], celebrated on [[December 25January 6]]. In It is the fullness of time, our Lord [[Jesus Christ]] was born to feast which reveals the Most Holy [[Theotokos]] and Virgin Mary, thus entering into Trinity to the world as a man and revealing Himself to mankindthrough the Baptism of the Lord (Mt.3:13-17; Mark 1:9-11; Luke 3:21-22).

According to the This observance commemorates [[Jesus Christ|Christ]]'s [[Biblebaptism]] and to by [[Holy TraditionJohn the Forerunner]], Jesus was born in the city of Bethlehem in a caveRiver Jordan, surrounded by farm animals and shepherdsthe beginning of Christ's earthly ministry. The baby Jesus was born into a manger from Feast of Theophany is the culmination of the Christmas Season, which starts on [[Theotokos|Virgin MaryDecember 25]], assisted by her husband St. and ends on [[Joseph the Betrothed|JosephJanuary 6]]. St. Joseph and the Theotokos were forced to travel due to a Roman census; the odd location In mystic commemoration of this event, the birth was the result [[Great Blessing of Water]] is performed on this day, and the refusal of a nearby inn to accommodate [[holy water]] so blessed is used by the expecting couple (local [[Gospel of Luke|Lukepriest]] 2:1-20)to bless the homes of the faithful.

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