A Resource Page on the Nativity of Christ in the Church Fathers, Saints and Teachers

General

Orthodox Christmas Reflection (1)

Orthodox Christmas Reflection (2)

Orthodox Christmas Reflection (3)

Why Jesus Came Into the World

The Patristic Understanding of the Virgin Birth of Christ

Did Christ Have A Fallen Human Nature?

The Erythraean Sibyl and Her Prophetic Acrostic Concerning the Coming of Christ

All The Saints Gather To Worship The Incarnate God

Saint Gregory Thaumaturgus

Discourse on the Nativity of Christ (St. Gregory Thaumaturgus)


Saint Athanasius the Great

Why Did God Become Man? The Answer of St. Athanasios


Saint Ephraim the Syrian

St. Ephraim the Syrian's 100 Stanzas on the Nativity

St. Ephraim's Nineteen Hymns on the Nativity of Christ

St. Ephraim the Syrian on Christ's Divine and Human Natures

 

Saint Cyril of Jerusalem  

 

Catechesis on the Creedal Words "the Only-Begotten Son of God, Begotten of the Father Very God Before All Ages, by Whom All Things Were Made" (St. Cyril of Jerusalem)

 

Catechesis on the Creedal Words "Incarnate" and "Made Man" (St. Cyril of Jerusalem)   

 

 

Saint Gregory of Nyssa 

 

Homily on the Nativity of Christ (St. Gregory of Nyssa) 

 

 

Saint Gregory the Theologian 

 

Oration on the Theophany or Birthday of Christ (St. Gregory the Theologian) 

 

 

Saint John Chrysostom 

 

A Homily in Preparation for the Celebration of Christmas (St. John Chrysostom) 

 

Nativity Sermon of St. John Chrysostom 

 

"On the Day of the Birth of Our Savior Jesus Christ" by St. John Chrysostom 

 

St. John Chrysostom's Second Homily on the Birth of our Savior Jesus Christ 

 

 

Saint Epiphanios of Salamis

 

Juxtaposing the Birth and Rebirth of Christ (St. Epiphanios of Salamis)

 

 

Saint Jerome

A Christmas Sermon of Saint Jerome

The 70 Weeks Prophecy of Daniel According to St. Jerome

Saint Leo the Great   

 

Sermon 1 on the Fast of Advent (St. Leo the Great) 

 

Sermon 5 on the Fast of Advent (St. Leo the Great) 

 

Sermon 6 on the Fast of Advent (St. Leo the Great) 

 

Sermon 8 on the Fast of Advent (St. Leo the Great) 

 

First Homily of Saint Leo the Great on the Nativity of Christ 

 

Second Homily of Saint Leo the Great on the Nativity of Christ 

 

Third Homily of Saint Leo the Great on the Nativity of Christ 

 

Fourth Homily of Saint Leo the Great on the Nativity of Christ 

 

Fifth Homily of Saint Leo the Great on the Nativity of Christ 

 

Sixth Homily of Saint Leo the Great on the Nativity of Christ 

 

Seventh Homily of Saint Leo the Great on the Nativity of Christ  

 

Eighth Homily of Saint Leo the Great on the Nativity of Christ

 

 

Saint Cyril of Alexandria  

 

Sermon on the Nativity of Christ (St. Cyril of Alexandria)

 

Discourse on the Birth of our Savior in the Flesh (St. Cyril of Alexandria)

Desert Fathers

Christ Came to Pass Through All the Ranks of the Priesthood


Kyros Panopolites

The Remarkable Christmas Homily of Kyros Panopolites


Saint Romanos the Melodist

The Christmas Kontakia of St. Romanos


Saint Maximus the Confessor

The Divine Economy According to Saint Maximos the Confessor

Why Jesus Had To Be Virgin Born - St. Maximus the Confessor Explains

Maximus the Confessor: "God Divided the Ages Wisely"


Saint Isaac the Syrian

Saint Isaac the Syrian on the Birth of Christ 

 

Saint John of Damascus

 

The Second Christmas Canon of Saint John of Damascus 

 

The Orthodox Doctrine of Virgin Mary as the Mother of God

Saint Theodore the Studite

"On the Nativity of the Savior and the Vigorous Pursuit of our Ascetic Life" (St. Theodore the Studite)


Saint Symeon the New Theologian

The Word Became Flesh: The Inexpressible Mystery of Salvation (St. Symeon the New Theologian)

On the Incarnation of the Word (St. Symeon the New Theologian)


Saint Gregory Palamas

Homily on the Nativity of Christ (St. Gregory Palamas)


Bishop Theophilos of Campania

On the Incarnation of the Son of God


Saint Nikodemos the Hagiorite

St. Nikodemos Explains How We Came to Celebrate Christmas on December 25th

Prayer to the Lord Who Was Born (St. Nikodemos the Hagiorite)

 

 

Archpriest Rodion Putyatin

 

Homily for the Eve of the Nativity of Christ (Archpriest Rodion Putyatin)

 

First Homily for the Day of the Nativity of Christ (Archpriest Rodion Putyatin)

 

Second Homily for the Day of the Nativity of Christ (Archpriest Rodion Putyatin)

 

Third Homily for the Day of the Nativity of Christ (Archpriest Rodion Putyatin)

 

Fourth Homily for the Day of the Nativity of Christ (Archpriest Rodion Putyatin)

 

Fifth Homily for the Day of the Nativity of Christ (Archpriest Rodion Putyatin)

 

Sixth Homily for the Day of the Nativity of Christ (Archpriest Rodion Putyatin)

 

First Homily on the Second Day of the Nativity of the Lord (Archpriest Rodion Putyatin)

 

Second Homily on the Second Day of the Nativity of the Lord (Archpriest Rodion Putyatin)

 

Saint Theophan the Recluse

A Reflection on the Nativity of the Lord (St. Theophan the Recluse)

Saint John of Kronstadt 

 

Homily Before Christmas (St. John of Kronstadt)

 

As We Approach the Nativity of Christ (St. John of Kronstadt) 

 

St John of Kronstadt on the Nativity of Christ

 

 

Saint Chrysostomos of Smyrna

 

A Christmas Message From St. Chrysostomos of Smyrna in 1912

Saint Luke of Simferopol

Homily One on the Nativity of Christ (St. Luke of Simferopol)

Homily Two on the Nativity of Christ (St. Luke of Simferopol)   

Homily Three on the Nativity of Christ (St. Luke of Simferopol)

 

Homily Four on the Nativity of Christ (St. Luke of Simferopol)

 

Homily Five on the Nativity of Christ (St. Luke of Simferopol)

 

Homily on the Second Day of Christmas (St. Luke of Simferopol)

 

Homily on the Bronze Serpent and the Nativity of Christ (St. Luke of Simferopol)

 

The Ecumene is the Church That Christ Established (St. Luke of Simferopol)

 

Saint Nikolai Velimirovich

"Prologue" Reading for Christmas by St. Nikolai Velimirovich

The Christmas of a Lonely Woman (St. Nikolai Velimirovich)

Saint John Maximovitch   

 

1935 Nativity Message of St. John Maximovitch

 

1947 Nativity Message of St. John Maximovitch 

 

1951 Nativity Message of St. John Maximovitch

 

1952 Nativity Message of St. John Maximovitch 

 

1953 Nativity Message of St. John Maximovitch 

 

1954 Nativity Message of St. John Maximovitch 

 

1955 Nativity Message of St. John Maximovitch 

 

1956 Nativity Message of St. John Maximovitch 

 

1960 Nativity Message of St. John Maximovitch 

 

1962 Nativity Message of St. John Maximovitch

 

1963 Nativity Message of St. John Maximovitch

 

Christ Is Born, Glorify Him! (St. John Maximovitch)

 

Saint Justin Popovich

A Christmas Epistle by St. Justin Popovich

The Word Became Flesh: A Christmas Sermon of St. Justin Popovich


Papa Tychon the Athonite

Christmas With Papa Tychon


Saint Sophrony of Essex

The Incarnation as the Foundation of our Spiritual Life (Elder Sophrony)

A Christmas Card from Elder Sophrony Saharov 

 

Saint Porphyrios of Kavsokalyva

 

Saint Porphyrios and the Visit of Divine Grace Before Christmas: A True Testimony Similar to "A Christmas Carol" by Charles Dickens

 

When Saint Porphyrios Experienced Christmas on the Holy Mountain in Spirit

 

Christmas with Holy Elder Porphyrios 23 Years Apart

 

Saint Paisios the Athonite

Elder Paisios the Athonite on Christmas

Elder Paisios: On How We Should Celebrate Feasts


Saint Iakovos of Evia

When St. Iakovos of Evia Celebrated Christmas in the Forest

 

Saint Bessarion of Agathonos

 

Saint Bessarion of Agathonos Remembers the Christmas of 1941

 

 

Saint Ephraim of Katounakia

 

"When I Went to the Cave of Bethlehem, My Heart Broke There" (St. Ephraim of Katounakia)

 

Elder Joseph of Vatopaidi

Christmas 2008 With Elder Joseph of Vatopaidi

   

Elder Aimilianos of Simonopetra 

 

Christmas is Coming (Elder Aimilianos of Simonopetra)