Беседа в день Рождества

1. What the forefathers once mourned and the prophets predicted, and what the righteous wished to see, has come true and has been fulfilled today. God “appeared on earth” in the flesh “and lived with men” (Bar.3:38). Therefore, let us rejoice and be glad, beloved, for if John, being in his mother’s womb, leaped at Mary’s entrance to Elizabeth, then much more should we, looking not at Mary, but at our Savior Himself, born today, ought to leap and rejoice, be amazed and marvel at the greatness of God’s economy, which surpasses all understanding. Imagine how majestic it would be if we saw the sun descend from heaven, walk across the earth and from here pour out its rays on everyone. If it would be amazing for everyone to see such an event with a sensual luminary, then think and judge now how majestic it is to see the Sun of Truth pouring out His rays from our flesh and enlightening our souls. For a long time I longed to see this day, and not just to see it, but together with so many people, and I prayed unceasingly that our meeting would be as full as we see it now. So it came true and was fulfilled. Although it is not yet ten years since this day became known and familiar to us, but, as if it had been devoted to us for a long time and for many years, it became famous because of your zeal. Therefore, it would not be a mistake to call it both new and ancient - new because it recently became known to us, and ancient and ancient because it soon became equal to the ancients and grew to the same degree as them. Beautiful and noble plants, having been planted in the ground, soon reach great heights and are burdened with fruits: so this day, known to those living in the west for a long time, but brought to us now and not for many years, suddenly grew so much and brought such great fruit that, as you can now see, our fences are filled and the whole church is cramped from the crowded crowd. Expect a worthy reward for such zeal from Christ, who was born today in the flesh; He, of course, will reward such jealousy, because love and zeal for this day serves as the greatest proof of love for the Born. If you need to bring something from us, your co-servants, then we will bring what we can, or better, what the grace of God allows us to say for your benefit. What do you want to hear about today? About what else if not about this same day? I know well that many people still argue among themselves, some condemning, others justifying; and there is a lot of talk everywhere about this day, some against it, arguing that it is new and recent and now just introduced, and others for it, claiming that it is ancient and old, since the prophets also predicted about His Nativity and this day has long been known and glorious among those living from Thrace to Cadiz. So, let's start talking about this. If he, while remaining controversial, enjoys such love from you, then it is obvious that, having become more famous, he will enjoy much greater respect when clear instructions will make you more favorable to him. I can give three proofs, from which we fully learn that at this very time our Lord Jesus Christ, God the Word, was born. Of these three proofs, one is that this holiday became known everywhere so quickly, reached such heights and became famous. And as Gamaliel said about the (Christian) sermon that “if it is of man... it will be ruined, but if it is of God, you cannot destroy it, lest those who fight against God be found” (Acts 5:38, 39), so I would boldly say about this day that, since God the Word is from God, then through this he (i.e. this day) not only was not ruined, but also increases every year and becomes more famous. The preaching in a few years covered the entire universe, and although those who spread it everywhere were mongers, fishermen, unlearned, simpletons, the humiliation of the ministers did not harm it at all, because the power of the Preached One had previously arranged everything, destroyed obstacles and demonstrated its own power. 2. If anyone who loves to argue is not satisfied with what has been said, then another proof can be brought forward. What is it? – From the census mentioned in the Gospels. “It came to pass,” says the evangelist, “in the days of thy day that a command came from Caesar Augustus to write down the whole universe. This writing was the first to be written by Cyrenia, who ruled Syria. And I go to write everything, each in his own city. Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, for he was no longer from the house and fatherland of David, to be married to Mary, his betrothed wife, who is not idle. And it came to pass, when she was there, that the days of giving birth to her were fulfilled: and she brought forth her firstborn Son, and gave birth to him, and laid him in a manger: for there was no place for them in the monastery” (Luke 2:1-7). From this it is clear that Christ was born during the first census. And from the ancient codes publicly stored in Rome, anyone can find out with accuracy the time of this census. What, they will say, is there before this for us, who are not there now and have not been there before? Listen and do not doubt, because we have accepted this day from those who know this exactly and live in that city; those who live there, celebrating it for a long time and according to ancient legend, have now sent information about it to us. And the evangelist did not mark the time (of the Nativity of Christ) without a purpose, but in order to make the day itself clear and known to us, and to show the economy of God. And Augustus did not issue such a command arbitrarily and not of his own accord, but because God moved his soul, so that he, albeit involuntarily, would serve the appearance of the Only Begotten. How, they will say, does this contribute to that economy? Not a little and not by chance, beloved, but quite a lot, and it is one of the necessary and deliberately arranged things. How is this possible? Galilee is a region in Palestine, and Nazareth is a city of Galilee. So Judea is a region called so by the name of its inhabitants, and Bethlehem is a city of Judea. All the prophets predicted about Christ that He would not come from Nazareth, but would come from Bethlehem and be born there. This is exactly what it is written: “And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah, are no less than the least among the rulers of Judah: for from you will come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel” (Matthew 2:6; Micah 5:2). And the Jews, in response to Herod’s question: “Where is Christ born,” then brought him this testimony (Matthew 2:2, 5). Therefore, when Nathanael to Philip, who said: “Jesus... who was of Nazareth, was found,” answered: “Can anything good come from Nazareth,” then Christ said about him: “Behold, truly an Israelite, in him there is no flattery” (John 1:45-47). Why, they will say, did Christ praise him? За то, что он не увлекся сообщением Филиппа, но знал ясно и точно, что не в Назарете и не в Галилее надлежит родиться Христу, но в Иудее и в Вифлееме, как это действительно было. Since Philip did not know this, and Nathanael, who was studying the law, answered in accordance with what was said in the ancient prophecy, knowing that Christ would not come from Nazareth, Christ said: “Behold, truly an Israelite, in him there is no flattery.” Therefore, some of the Jews said to Nicodemus: “Test and see, for a prophet does not come from Galilee” (John 7:52); and in another place: “not... Is it from Bethlehem, where David will come, that Christ will come” (John 7:42)? And everyone had a common conviction that He certainly had to come from there, and not from Galilee. Therefore, since Joseph and Mary, who were citizens of Bethlehem, but left it, settled down to live in Nazareth and stayed there, as often happens with many people who leave the cities in which they were born and live in others to which they do not belong by birth, and meanwhile Christ had to be born in Bethlehem, then a command came out, which, according to the dispensation of God, forced them unwittingly go to that city. The law, which commanded everyone to fit into their own fatherland, forced them to move from there, i.e. from Nazareth, and come to Bethlehem to fit in. Pointing to this very thing now, the evangelist says: “And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, for he was no longer from the house and fatherland of David, to be married to Mary, his betrothed wife, who is not idle. And it came to pass, when she was there, that the days of giving birth to her were fulfilled: and she gave birth to her firstborn Son” (Luke 2:4-7). 3. Do you see, beloved, the economy of God, both through the unfaithful and through the faithful, arranging his affairs, so that those alien to piety may know His power and might? The star led the wise men from the east, and the law drew Mary to the fatherland predicted by the prophets. From here it is obvious to us that the Virgin was from the line of David; since She came from Bethlehem, it is obvious that She was from the line of David. The evangelist explained this above in the words: “Joseph also went up from Galilee ... with Mary, ... because he was no longer from the house and fatherland of David.” Since the genealogy of Joseph is set out, and no one has counted the ancestors of Mary to us as well as his ancestors, then, so that you do not doubt and say: how can it be seen that She also comes from David? - listen (as the evangelist says): “In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to the city of Galilee, whose name was Nazareth, to the betrothed virgin to a man whose name was Joseph, from the house of David” (Luke 1:26-27). The words: “from the house of David” must be taken as spoken about the Virgin. And here, therefore, the same thing is expressed. Therefore the commandment and the law came out, which brought them to Bethlehem; As soon as they arrived in the city, Jesus was born; and since many people then flocked from all sides, the places were occupied and there was great oppression, He was laid in a manger. That is why the wise men worshiped Him there. But in order to present you with a clearer and more obvious proof, I ask you to be especially attentive now: I want to offer a lengthy narrative and set forth ancient laws, so that my speech will be clearer to you in all respects. The Jews had an ancient law, or better yet, let's start talking from an earlier one. When God delivered the Jewish people from Egyptian torment and slavery to a foreign king, seeing that they had remnants of wickedness, were carried away by sensual objects and were amazed at the grandeur and beauty of the churches, he commanded them to build a church that, not only in the value of the material and the variety of art, but also in the type of construction, surpassed all the churches on earth. Like a child-loving father to whom his son returned, who for a long time dealt with vicious, depraved and lost people and tasted great luxury, surrounds him with security and honor with even more abundance, so that he, not needing anything, does not remember his former pleasures and does not want to turn to them; so God, seeing that the Jews are carried away by sensual objects, provides them with this in an excellent form, so that they never come to the desire of the Egyptians or what they experienced among the Egyptians. He creates a church in the image of the entire world, sensory and mental. Just as in the world there is earth and sky and the mediastinum between them is the firmament, so He commanded to build a church. Dividing this church into two parts and spreading a curtain in the middle of them, He made the outer part of the curtain accessible to everyone, and the inner part inaccessible and invisible to everyone except the high priest. That this is not our guess, but that the church was really built in the image of the whole world, listen to what Paul says about Christ ascending to Heaven: “For Christ was not seen in holy places made with hands, contrary to the image of the true ones” (Heb. 9:24), showing that what was built here was an image of the true. And that the veil separated the Holy of Holies from the outer sanctuary, just as the sky separates what is above it from everything that is with us, listen to how he pointed out this too, calling the sky a veil. Speaking about the hope that it is “like the captivity of the soul, firm and known,” he added: “and entering into the innermost part of the veil, where Jesus the Forerunner appeared for us,” above the heavens (Heb. 6:19–20). Do you see how he called the sky a veil? Outside the veil were the lampstand and the table, and the bronze altar, which received sacrifices and burnt offerings; and inside behind the veil was an ark overlaid on all sides with gold, containing the tablets of the covenant, a golden vessel with manna, and Aaron’s rod that flourished, and a golden altar, not for sacrifices and burnt offerings, but for incense alone. Everyone was allowed to enter the outer part, but only the high priest was allowed to enter the inner part. About this very thing I again present the testimony of Paul, who says: “This is called the first tabernacle of justification of the service, the holy thing of men” - he calls the outer tabernacle the secular sanctuary, because the whole world was allowed to enter there - “in it is a lamp and a table and an offering of bread. ...By the second veil, the tabernacle is said to be the Holy of Holies, having a censer of gold, and the ark of the covenant is shrouded everywhere with gold, in which there is a heap of gold containing manna, and Aaron’s rod, and the tablets of the covenant: and above it are the Cherubim of glory that overshadow the altar. ... Having thus been constructed in this way, in the first tabernacle I will take out the priestess who enters, performing the services; in the second, one bishop alone in the summer, not without shelter, brings for himself and about human ignorance” (Heb. 9: 1-7). Do you see that only the high priest entered here, and only once in a whole year? 4. How, they will say, does this relate to the present day? Wait a little and don't get impatient. We reveal the source from the very beginning and try to reach the very top, so that everything becomes clearer to us; however, so that my speech does not remain hidden for too long and, remaining unclear, does not tire you with its length, I will now tell you the reason why I set out all this. What is the reason? While Elizabeth was already carrying John in her womb for the sixth month, Mary conceived. So, if we know what this sixth month was, we will know when Mary conceived; Having then learned when she conceived, we find out when she gave birth, calculating nine months from conception. How do we know what the sixth month of Elizabeth's pregnancy was? If we find out what month it was in which she conceived. How do we know what month it was in which she conceived? If we find out at what time Zechariah her husband received the good news. And how can we know this? From the Divine Scriptures, the Holy Gospel says that an Angel brought good news to Zechariah, who was inside the Holy of Holies, and predicted to him about the birth of John. So, if it is clearly shown from the Scriptures that the high priest entered into the Holy of Holies once and alone, and at what time and in what month of the year this entry took place once, then the time at which the good news was brought will be known; and when this is clear, then the beginning of conception will be known to everyone. And that the high priest entered once a year, Paul showed this, and Moses makes the same thing clear, saying this: “And the Lord spoke to Moses: Say to Aaron your brother, let him not enter at all hours into the holy place within the veil, before the face of the atonement that is over the ark of the witness, and let him not die” (Lev. 16:2), and again: “and let no man be in the tabernacle of the witness, Whenever he enters into the holy place to pray, until he comes out: and let him pray for himself and for his house, and for all the congregation of the children of Israel. And he will go out to the altar that is before the Lord” (Lev. 16:17–18). From this it is clear that he did not enter the Holy of Holies at all times, and when he was inside, no one was allowed to approach, and he had to stand outside the veil. But note this carefully, because it remains to be shown what the time was at which he entered the Holy of Holies, doing this only once a year. How is this known? From the same book. It says this: “In the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month, subdue your souls, and let not any work be done, neither native nor foreigner, be faithful to you: on that day he will pray for you to cleanse you from all your sins before the Lord, and you will be cleansed: the Sabbath of Sabbaths may this be rest for you, and subdue your souls, lawfully forever. Let the priest pray, if he is anointed, and if he is done to his hand, let him eat according to his father, and let him put on his linen robe, the holy robe, and let him cleanse the Most Holy Place and the tabernacle of the meeting, and let him cleanse the altar, and let him pray for the priests and for the whole congregation. And this lawful thing will be done for you forever, even if you pray for the children of Israel for all their sins, let it be done in one summer, just as the Lord commanded Moses” (Lev. 16:29–34). This speaks of the Feast of Tabernacles; Then it was the high priest who entered once a year, Moses himself showed this by saying: “Let it be made one year.” 5. So, if during the Feast of Tabernacles only the High Priest entered into the Holy of Holies, we will now prove that it was then that the Angel appeared to Zechariah while he was in the Holy of Holies - because he appeared to him alone while he was burning incense, and the High Priest alone never entered except at that time. However, nothing prevents you from listening to the very words (of Scripture). “Now there came to pass in the days of Herod king of Judea, there was a certain priest named Zechariah... and his wife was of Aaron’s daughters, and her name was Elizabeth. When he served him in the order of his turn before God, according to the custom of the priesthood, the key was opened to him, and he entered into the church of the Lord: and the whole multitude of people prayed outside, during the incense” (Luke 1:5, 8-10). Remember here, beloved, the testimony that says: “And let every man not be in the tabernacle of witness, when he entereth into the holy place to pray, until he come forth” (Lev. 16:17). “The Angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right hand of the altar of incense” (Luke 1:11). He did not say: “the sacrificial altar,” but: “the altar of incense,” because the outer altar was an altar for sacrifices and burnt offerings, and the inner altar was an altar of incense. So, from this, and from the appearance to him alone, and from the words that there were people outside waiting for him, it is obvious that he entered the Holy of Holies. “And when Zechariah saw it, he became embarrassed, and fear came upon him. The Angel said to him: Do not be afraid, Zechariah, your prayer has already been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you will call his name John. And the people ran wild, waiting for Zechariah: and with miracles I touched him in the church. “When he left,” he explained himself to them by signs and “you could not speak to them” (Luke 1:12–13, 21–22). Do you see that he was inside behind the veil? Then the good news was given to him. And the time of this gospel was the Feast of Tabernacles and Fasting; This is precisely the meaning of the words: “subdue your souls” (Lev. 16:29). This holiday is celebrated among the Jews in the last days of the month of September, as you are witnesses to this, because then we spoke a lot and for a long time against the Jews, condemning their inappropriate fasting. At the same time, Elizabeth, the wife of Zechariah, conceived, and “hidden herself for five months, saying, “This is what the Lord has done to me in the days that he will take away my reproach among men” (Luke 1:24–25). Now it is timely to show that in the sixth month of her pregnancy with John, Mary receives the good news of conception. Gabriel came to Her and said: “Do not be afraid, Mariam: for you have found grace with God. And behold, you conceived in your womb, and gave birth to a Son, and called His name Jesus” (Luke 1:30–31). When She was confused and wished to know about the method (of fulfillment), then, “having answered, the Angel said to Her: The Holy Spirit will come upon You, and the power of the Most High will overshadow You: in the same way, the Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God: and behold, Elizabeth Your daughter, and she conceived a son in her old age: and this sixth month is called barren for her: for not God fails every word” (Luke 1:35–37). So, if Elizabeth conceived in the month of September, as shown, then the next six months must be counted; they are: October, November, December, January, February, March. This means that after this sixth month Mary conceived; counting nine more months from here, we will reach the present month. Thus, the first month of the Lord's conception is April, then May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December - the actual month in which we celebrate this day. However, to make what has been said even clearer to you, I will again briefly repeat the same thing to your love. Once a year, only the high priest entered the Holy of Holies. When did this happen? In the month of September. So, then Zechariah entered the Holy of Holies, and then the good news about John was communicated to him. Therefore, when he departed from there, his wife conceived. After September, when Elizabeth was pregnant for the sixth month, which was March, Mary also conceived. Having counted nine months from April, we will reach the present month in which our Lord Jesus Christ was born. 6. We have explained everything to you regarding this day; I’ll tell you one more thing, and I’ll stop speaking, leaving more to say to our common teacher. Since many of the Hellenes (i.e., pagans), hearing that God was born in the flesh, laugh with mockery and disturb and confuse many of the simple ones, it is necessary to say something to them, as well as to those who are embarrassed, so that they never become worried, convinced by crazy people, and are not embarrassed by the laughter of infidels. And small children often laugh when we talk about serious subjects and deal with necessary things, but their laughter serves as proof not of the insignificance of the objects being ridiculed, but of the foolishness of those who laugh. The same can be said about the Hellenes that they, being in a state of almost greater foolishness than children, mock at what is worthy of awe and can fill with great surprise, but they honor and respect what is truly funny. However, even our subjects, ridiculed by them, remain in their venerability, without suffering any damage to their glory from their laughter; and their objects, decorated in every possible way, show their own ugliness. Isn’t this extreme madness when they themselves, people, stumble at every step, introducing their own gods into stones, and into trees, and into insignificant idols, and confining them, as it were, in a prison, thinking that they neither do nor say anything shameful, but we are condemned, who say that God, having built for Himself a living temple by the Holy Spirit, through Him bestowed blessings on the universe? What's reprehensible about this? If it is shameful for God to dwell in a human body, then it is much more shameful to live in a stone and a tree, and even more so than a stone and a tree are lower than a person, unless our race seems to them to be more insignificant than these insensitive things. They themselves dare to reduce the being of God to cats and dogs, and many of the heretics even to animals even worse than these. We don’t say anything like that and would never tolerate listening to it, but we affirm that Christ received from the virgin’s womb flesh that was pure, holy, immaculate and such that it was inaccessible to any sin, and restored his own creation. They, and like them the wickedly acting Manichaeans, reducing the being of God to dogs, monkeys and various animals (since they claim that the soul of all these animals comes from His being), do not shudder or hide in shame; and they say about us that we affirm what is unworthy of God, whereas we cannot even admit anything like that in our minds, but we affirm what was decent and befitting Him, that is, that He, having come, restored His creation in this way of birth. What, tell me, are you saying, man? Claiming that the soul of murderers and wizards is from the essence of God, you dare to condemn us for the fact that we not only ourselves do not allow and cannot hear anything like this, but we also consider those who affirm this to be involved in wickedness - and we say that God, having built a holy church for Himself, through Him introduced the heavenly order into our lives? And are you not worthy of countless deaths both for the accusations with which you condemn us and for the wicked deeds in which you never cease to be wicked? If it is indecent for God to dwell in a pure and immaculate body, as you say, then it is much more indecent to be in the body of a magician, a grave digger, a robber, a monkey or a dog, and not in a holy body, immaculate and now seated at the right hand of the Father. And what harm or what desecration could there be for God from such an economy (our salvation)? Do you not see this sun, whose body is sensual and destructible, and fleeting, even though the Hellenes and Manichaeans, hearing this, gasped a thousand times with vexation? Not only it, but also the earth, and the sea, and all visible creatures in general were subjected to vanity. Listen to how Paul explains this when he says: “For the creation is subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who obeyed, in hope.” Then, explaining what it means to “submit to vanity,” he continues by saying: “For the creation itself will be freed from the work of corruption for the freedom of the glory of the children of God” (Rom. 8:20-21). Consequently, now it is soon transitory and perishable, because “to work against corruption” means nothing more than to be perishable. So, if the sun, a corruptible body, emits rays everywhere, touching dirt, impurities and many other similar things, from touching these bodies is not at all damaged in its purity, but again collects its rays pure, imparting its perfections to many of the bodies that perceive it, without itself receiving the slightest stench and defilement, then the Sun is much more righteous. The Lord of incorporeal forces, having entered pure flesh, not only did not become defiled, but also made it even more pure and holy. Thinking about all this and remembering the voice that says: “I will dwell in them and like them” (Lev. 26:12; 2 Cor. 6:16), and also: “This is the church of God, and the Spirit of God lives in you” (1 Cor. 3:16), we too will speak against them and stop the shameful lips of the wicked, and we will rejoice in our blessings and glorify the incarnate God for such condescension and Let us show Him worthy honor and reward to our strength; and for God there can be no other reward from us other than the salvation of us and our souls, and care for virtue. 7. Let us not be ungrateful to the Benefactor, but let us offer everything within our power - faith, hope, love, chastity, mercy, love of hospitableness. And why did I convince you before, and now and always will not stop convincing you. Why exactly? Intending to begin this Terrible and Divine Meal and sacred mystery, do it with fear and trembling, with a clear conscience, with fasting and prayer, without noise, without disturbing or pushing your neighbors, because it serves as a sign of extreme madness and extraordinary contempt and brings upon those who do so great punishment and vengeance. Imagine, man, what kind of Sacrifice you intend to touch, what kind of Meal to begin; Pay attention that you, earth and ashes, partake of the Blood and Body of Christ. When the king invites you to a feast, you recline with fear and accept the offered dishes with respect and calm; and when God invites to His Table and offers His own Son, when the angelic forces approach with fear and trembling, the Cherubim cover their faces and the Seraphim cry out with trepidation: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord,” how do you, tell me, dare to shout and noisily approach this spiritual feast? Don't you know that at this time the soul should be filled with deep silence? Great peace and tranquility are needed, not noise, anger and confusion, as this makes the approaching soul unclean. What forgiveness can there be if, after so many sins, even when we approach the Sacrament, we do not cleanse ourselves of those insane passions? What is more necessary than what is offered here? Or what confuses us so much that we, leaving the spiritual, rush to the carnal? No, I ask and implore you, let us not incur the wrath of God upon ourselves. What is offered here is a saving medicine for our wounds, an unfailing wealth that brings us the Kingdom of Heaven. Let us approach with trembling, give thanks, fall down, confessing our sins, shed tears, mourning our misfortunes, send up fervent prayers to God, and thus, purifying ourselves, we will approach quietly and with proper decorum, as those approaching the Heavenly King; Having accepted the immaculate and holy Sacrifice, let us kiss her, embrace her with our eyes, warm our spirit, so that our meeting does not serve to judge or condemn us, but to chastity of the soul, to love, to virtue, to reconciliation with God, lasting peace and to the guarantee of countless blessings, in order to sanctify ourselves and bring edification to our neighbors. I talk about this often and will not stop talking. And what is the use of flocking here in vain and in vain, without learning anything useful? And what kind of acquisition is it to always tell you to please? The present time is short, beloved: let us be sober, watchful, abstain, sincerely show all care for everyone and fear of God in everything; Whether it is necessary to listen to Divine sayings, or to pray, or to proceed (to the Sacrament), or to do anything else, let it be done with fear and trembling, so as not to bring upon oneself a curse through negligence, - for “cursed is,” says (the prophet), “whoever does the work of the Lord with negligence” (Jer. 48:10). Noise and anger serve as an insult to the proposed Victim. It is extreme negligence to present oneself to God as defiled. Listen to what the apostle says about this: “If anyone corrupts God’s church, God will corrupt him” (1 Cor. 3:17). So, let us not arouse the wrath of God instead of reconciliation with Him, but, showing all the zeal and all the beauty and serenity of the soul, let us approach with prayer and a contrite heart, so that, by this we ourselves have propitiated our Master Jesus Christ, we may receive the blessings promised to us, by the grace and love of mankind of our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, with whom to the Father with the Holy Spirit be glory, power, honor, now and ever and ever. Amen. The present conversation was delivered by Chrysostom, as it is believed, on December 25, 386. Since the custom of celebrating the Nativity of Christ on December 25 was new in the Antiochian Church - not even ten years had passed since it was transferred here from the west (previously in Antioch, as well as in the east in general, the Nativity of Christ was celebrated on the same day as the Epiphany - December 6), then among the Antioch Disputes arose among the flock over the new holiday: some recognized it, others rejected it. With this conversation, St. Chrysostom wants to end these disputes and gives three proofs in favor of the fact that the day of the Nativity of Christ should be celebrated on December 25. You might be interested in: