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Nativity

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Giotto's Nativity: Birth of Jesus fresco (200 x 185 cm) from 1304-06 in the Cappella Scrovegni (Arena Chapel), in Padua, Italy.  Visit it if you're in the area.  I enjoyed it very much, but you need to take your time to see all the wonderful details, like the playful angels on the roof of the manger in this work.

I've reproduced below the relevant passages in both Italian and English, the King James version.  See the bottom of this page for links to Italian and English Bibles on-line.

The image opposite is of a painting by Giotto.  It is one of the few depictions of the Nativity that actually show Mary reclining after giving birth.  Most have her praying on her knees.

Giotto is considered the first of the Renaissance painters who left the stylized images of the past behind and attempted a more naturalistic feel. I think he succeeded with this painting.

(See the image at the bottom of the page, that would make a beautiful Christmas card.)

Matteo 1

[18]Ecco come avvenne la nascita di Gesù Cristo: sua madre Maria, essendo promessa sposa di Giuseppe, prima che andassero a vivere insieme si trovò incinta per opera dello Spirito Santo.

[19]Giuseppe suo sposo, che era giusto e non voleva ripudiarla, decise di licenziarla in segreto.

[20]Mentre però stava pensando a queste cose, ecco che gli apparve in sogno un angelo del Signore e gli disse: «Giuseppe, figlio di Davide, non temere di prendere con te Maria, tua sposa, perché quel che è generato in lei viene dallo Spirito Santo.

[21]Essa partorirà un figlio e tu lo chiamerai Gesù: egli infatti salverà il suo popolo dai suoi peccati».

[22]Tutto questo avvenne perché si adempisse ciò che era stato detto dal Signore per mezzo del profeta:

[23]Ecco, la vergine concepirà e partorirà un figlio che sarà chiamato Emmanuele, che significa Dio con noi.

[24]Destatosi dal sonno, Giuseppe fece come gli aveva ordinato l'angelo del Signore e prese con sé la sua sposa,

[25]la quale, senza che egli la conoscesse, partorì un figlio, che egli chiamò Gesù.

Matteo 2

[1]Gesù nacque a Betlemme di Giudea, al tempo del re Erode. Alcuni Magi giunsero da oriente a Gerusalemme e domandavano:

[2]«Dov'è il re dei Giudei che è nato? Abbiamo visto sorgere la sua stella, e siamo venuti per adorarlo».

[3]All'udire queste parole, il re Erode restò turbato e con lui tutta Gerusalemme.

[4]Riuniti tutti i sommi sacerdoti e gli scribi del popolo, s'informava da loro sul luogo in cui doveva nascere il Messia.

[5]Gli risposero: «A Betlemme di Giudea, perché così è scritto per mezzo del profeta:

[6]E tu, Betlemme, terra di Giuda, non sei davvero il più piccolo capoluogo di Giuda: da te uscirà infatti un capo che pascerà il mio popolo, Israele.

[7]Allora Erode, chiamati segretamente i Magi, si fece dire con esattezza da loro il tempo in cui era apparsa la stella

[8]e li inviò a Betlemme esortandoli: «Andate e informatevi accuratamente del bambino e, quando l'avrete trovato, fatemelo sapere, perché anch'io venga ad adorarlo».

[9]Udite le parole del re, essi partirono. Ed ecco la stella, che avevano visto nel suo sorgere, li precedeva, finché giunse e si fermò sopra il luogo dove si trovava il bambino.

[10]Al vedere la stella, essi provarono una grandissima gioia.

[11]Entrati nella casa, videro il bambino con Maria sua madre, e prostratisi lo adorarono. Poi aprirono i loro scrigni e gli offrirono in dono oro, incenso e mirra.

[12]Avvertiti poi in sogno di non tornare da Erode, per un'altra strada fecero ritorno al loro paese.

[13]Essi erano appena partiti, quando un angelo del Signore apparve in sogno a Giuseppe e gli disse: «Alzati, prendi con te il bambino e sua madre e fuggi in Egitto, e resta là finché non ti avvertirò, perché Erode sta cercando il bambino per ucciderlo».

[14]Giuseppe, destatosi, prese con sé il bambino e sua madre nella notte e fuggì in Egitto,

[15]dove rimase fino alla morte di Erode, perché si adempisse ciò che era stato detto dal Signore per mezzo del profeta:

[16]Erode, accortosi che i Magi si erano presi gioco di lui, s'infuriò e mandò ad uccidere tutti i bambini di Betlemme e del suo territorio dai due anni in giù, corrispondenti al tempo su cui era stato informato dai Magi.

[17]Allora si adempì quel che era stato detto per mezzo del profeta Geremia:

[18]Un grido è stato udito in Rama, un pianto e un lamento grande; Rachele piange i suoi figli e non vuole essere consolata, perché non sono più.

[19]Morto Erode, un angelo del Signore apparve in sogno a Giuseppe in Egitto

[20]e gli disse: «Alzati, prendi con te il bambino e sua madre e và nel paese d'Israele; perché sono morti coloro che insidiavano la vita del bambino».

[21]Egli, alzatosi, prese con sé il bambino e sua madre, ed entrò nel paese d'Israele.

[22]Avendo però saputo che era re della Giudea Archelào al posto di suo padre Erode, ebbe paura di andarvi. Avvertito poi in sogno, si ritirò nelle regioni della Galilea

[23]e, appena giunto, andò ad abitare in una città chiamata Nazaret, perché si adempisse ciò che era stato detto dai profeti: «Sarà chiamato Nazareno».

Source:  I quote here from an on-line Italian Bible that is no longer available.  I'll keep looking for a free one on-line again, but until then, all I can offer is this link.

Matthew 1

18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child of the Holy Spirit;

19 and her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly.

20 But as he considered this, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, "Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit;

21 she will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins."

22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet:

23 "Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and his name shall be called Emmanuel" (which means, God with us).

24 When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took his wife,

25 but knew her not until she had borne a son; and he called his name Jesus. 

Matthew 2

1 Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying,

2 "Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we have seen his star in the East, and have come to worship him."

3 When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him;

4 and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born.

5 They told him, "In Bethlehem of Judea; for so it is written by the prophet:

6 'And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who will govern my people Israel.'"

7 Then Herod summoned the wise men secretly and ascertained from them what time the star appeared;

8 and he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, "Go and search diligently for the child, and when you have found him bring me word, that I too may come and worship him."

9 When they had heard the king they went their way; and lo, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came to rest over the place where the child was.

10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy;

11 and going into the house they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh.

12 And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their own country by another way.

13 Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, "Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there till I tell you; for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him."

14 And he rose and took the child and his mother by night, and departed to Egypt,

15 and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfil what the Lord had spoken by the prophet, "Out of Egypt have I called my son."

16 Then Herod, when he saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, was in a furious rage, and he sent and killed all the male children in Bethlehem and in all that region who were two years old or under, according to the time which he had ascertained from the wise men.

17 Then was fulfilled what was spoken by the prophet Jeremiah:

18 "A voice was heard in Ramah, wailing and loud lamentation, Rachel weeping for her children; she refused to be consoled, because they were no more."

19 But when Herod died, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, saying,

20 "Rise, take the child and his mother, and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the child's life are dead."

21 And he rose and took the child and his mother, and went to the land of Israel.

22 But when he heard that Archelaus reigned over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there, and being warned in a dream he withdrew to the district of Galilee.

Source:  The Bible, online at Bible.com which offers various versions and various translations of The Bible online.

This beautiful image of the Annunciation and Nativity comes from a prayer book owed by Lorenzo de' Medici in 1458.  

If you have a color printer, you can try to print it out to use as a very unique and beautiful Christmas card.  Visit my page Traditional Christmas Cards for more images and links to Italian Christmas cards.

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