A thirteenth century Sinai icon of the Nativity of our Lord and God and Saviour Jesus Christ.
Σήμερον γὰρ ὁ χρόνιος ἐλύθη δεσμός, ὁ διάβολος ᾐσχύνθη, οἱ δαίμονες ἐδραπέτευσαν, ὁ θάνατος ἐλύθη, παράδεισος ἠνεῴχθη, ἡ κατάρα ἠφανίσθη, ἡ ἁμαρτία ἐκποδὼν γέγονεν, ἡ πλάνη ἀπηλάθη, ἡ ἀλήθεια ἐπανῆλθε, καὶ τῆς εὐσεβείας ὁ λόγος πανταχοῦ διεσπάρη καὶ ἔδραμεν· ἡ τῶν ἄνω πολιτεία ἐν τῇ γῇ ἐφυτεύθη, ἄγγελοι μετὰ ἀνθρώπων κοινωνοῦσι, καὶ ἄνθρωποι μετὰ ἀγγέλων ἀδεῶς διαλέγονται.
Διὰ τί; Ἐπειδὴ Θεὸς ἐπὶ γῆς ἦλθε, καὶ ἄνθρωπος ἐν οὐρανῷ· πάντα ἀναμὶξ γέγονε. Ἦλθε γὰρ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, ὅλος ὢν ἐν οὐρανοῖς· ὅλος δὲ ὢν ἐν οὐρανῷ, ὅλος ἐστὶν ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς. Θεὸς ὢν, γέγονεν ἄνθρωπος, οὐκ ἀρνησάμενος τὸ εἶναι Θεός· λόγος ὢν ἀπαθὴς, σὰρξ ἐγένετο, διὰ τὸ ἐνοικῆσαι ἡμῖν σὰρξ ἐγένετο. Θεὸς γὰρ οὐκ ἐγένετο, ἀλλὰ ἦν. Διὰ τοῦτο σὰρξ ἐγένετο, ἵνα ὃν οὐκ ἐχώρει οὐρανός, δέξηται φάτνη. Διὰ τοῦτο ἐν φάτνῃ ἐτέθη, ἵνα ὁ τρέφων τὰ σύμπαντα παιδίου τροφὴν παρὰ μητρὸς παρθένου λάβῃ Διὰ τοῦτο ὁ τῶν μελλόντων αἰώνων Πατὴρ ὡς ὑπομάζιον βρέφος παρθενικῶν ἀνέχεται ἀγκαλῶν, ἵνα καὶ μάγοις εὐπρόσιτος γένηται. Σήμερον γὰρ καὶ μάγοι προσῆλθον, ἀρχὴν λαβόντες ἀρνεῖσθαι τὸν τύραννον, καὶ ὁ οὐρανὸς καυχᾶται ἀστέρι τὸν ἴδιον Δεσπότην μηνύων.
Come, then, let us observe the Feast. Truly wondrous is the whole chronicle of the Nativity. For this day the ancient slavery is ended, the devil confounded, the demons take to flight, the power of death is broken, paradise is unlocked, the curse is taken away, sin is removed from us, error driven out, truth has been brought back, the speech of kindliness diffused, and spreads on every side, a heavenly way of life has been implanted on the earth, angels communicate with men without fear, and men now hold speech with angels.
Why is this? Because God is now on earth, and man in heaven; on every side all things commingle. He became Flesh. He did not become God. He was God. Wherefore He became flesh, so that He Whom heaven did not contain, a manger would this day receive. He was placed in a manger, so that He, by whom all things are nourished, may receive an infant’s food from His Virgin Mother. So, the Father of all ages, as an infant at the breast, nestles in the virginal arms, that the Magi may more easily see Him. Since this day the Magi too have come, and made a beginning of withstanding tyranny; and the heavens give glory, as the Lord is revealed by a star.
Saint John Chrysostom
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