December 24, 2006

The Proclamation of the Birth of Jesus

The Chancel and Altar First United Methodist Church Bella Vista Arkansas


In the formal liturgy for Christmas day, in the opening of the Midnight Mass there is a formal announcement of the birth of Jesus in the style of a proclamation. It begins with Creation and relates the birth of the Promised One to the major events personages and times of sacred and secular history.The particular events contained in this proclamation help to situate the birth of Jesus in the context of Salvation history.




Proclamation of the Birth of Christ

from the Christmas Martyrology (Roman Rite)

The twenty-fifth day of December.
In the five thousand one hundred and ninety-ninth year
of the creation of the world
from the time when God in the beginning
created the heavens and the earth;
the two thousand nine hundred and
fifty-seventh year after the flood;
the two thousand and fifteenth year
from the birth of Abraham;
the one thousand five hundred and tenth year
from Moses and the going forth
of the people of Israel from Egypt;
the one thousand and thirty-second year
from David's being anointed king;
in the sixty-fifth week
according to the prophecy of Daniel;
in the one hundred and ninety-fourth Olympiad;
the seven hundred and fifty-second year
from the foundation of the city of Rome;
the forty second year of the reign of Octavian Augustus;
the whole world being at peace,
in the sixth age of the world,
Jesus Christ the Eternal God
and Son of the eternal Father,
desiring to sanctify the world
by his most merciful coming,
being conceived by the Holy Spirit,
and nine months having passed
since his conception,
was born in Bethlehem of Judea
of the Virgin Mary,
being made flesh.
The Nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ
according to the flesh.