Description

The infancy narratives of Jesus, those captivating and often tender stories of His birth and early life, are central to Christian tradition and theology. These narratives, while primarily found in the canonical Gospels of Matthew and Luke, extend their reach far beyond these texts and have been subjects of contemplation, elaboration, and interpretation for centuries. Their importance is not only religious but also cultural, influencing art, liturgy, music, and literature. To appreciate these narratives fully, it is crucial to place them within their historical and theological contexts and to examine both their canonical and apocryphal forms. In doing so, we begin to understand the ways in which early Christian writers shaped and shared their vision of who Jesus was, how He came into the world, and what His birth meant for humanity.