Icon Description

In this icon, the newborn Christ lies in the manger of the cave of Bethlehem. A manger is a feeding trough for animals, and Bethlehem means “house of bread.” Jesus is the Bread of Life, the new manna appearing in the wilderness. The manger is made of stones, a foreshadowing of the altar, for Jesus will offer Himself as the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world (cf. John 1:29). The swaddling clothes, indicative of the astonishing self-abasement of the Word, are also a foreshadowing of his death and burial.

The Virgin Mary, Mother of the Christ Child, looks on in humble adoration. She is the new Eve who will cooperate with Christ to bring forth the new life of grace. In The Meaning of Icons (p. 159), Leonid Ouspensky explains: “As the first Eve became the mother of all living people, so the new Eve became the mother of all renewed mankind, deified through the Incarnation of the Son of God.” She is like a new tree of life bearing the fruit of life: Jesus Christ. This is symbolized by the small fruit-laden tree in the foreground of the icon.

Saint Joseph, guardian of the Holy Family, stands in profound reverence before the mystery of the Virgin Birth. His poverty is exhibited by his bare feet, while his royal ancestry is made manifest by the purple turban upon his head.

The cave signifies this world, grown dark and cold through sin; yet now it is the recipient of the Father’s mercy, for He has sent his own Son, who is to be the light of the world. The star of Bethlehem illumines the night, and like a beacon, points to Christ, hope of the nations.