The Nativity | Martyria

Via Peregrina No. II (XVI) / 2023 Bethlehem – The House of Bread Theodora Videscu

Bethlehem, the city of the Nativity of the Lord Jesus Christ, is presented through its holy sites: the Basilica of the Nativity, founded by Empress Helena and Constantine the Great in 325; the Grotto of the Nativity with its silver star commissioned by Constantine Brâncoveanu; the icon of the Mother of God ‘Bethleemissa’, the Cave of St Jerome, as well as the neighbouring settlements of Beit Sahour and Al Khader.

The Words of the Fathers No. II (IX) / 2019 A eulogy to Saint Stephen the First Martyr The Saint Proclu

This homily, translated from Greek by Petru Molodeț and revised by Maria Luiza Oancea and Octavian Gordon, celebrates the feast of Saint Stephen, the first martyr, by drawing a parallel between the physical Sun and Christ, the Sun of Righteousness, and through the praise of Stephen as an athlete of grace and power, culminating in his heavenly vision in the Acts of the Apostles.

Theatrum No. II (IV) / 2017 The Hour of Choice. A play in three acts Constantin Adamovici

This three-act play by Constantin Adamovici dramatises the birth of the Baby Jesus in Bethlehem, depicting the conflict between Herod the Great, determined to kill the Messiah, and the characters who choose the path of mercy: Marcus, the Roman commander sent to carry out the murderous order, and Eliazar, the high priest expelled from the temple. At the moment of choice, Marcus lays down his sword at the Child’s feet, whilst Herod, refusing to repent, dies crushed by his own hatred; the play theologically illustrates the triumph of love and humility over power and violence.

The Words of the Fathers No. II (IV) / 2017 The Eighth Homily, delivered to the people in the Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary on the day of the Nativity of the Lord Grigorie cel Mare

The Homily on the Nativity of the Lord, attributed to Saint Gregory the Great, presents a theological interpretation of the pericope from the Gospel according to Luke 2:1–14, in a translation from the Latin by Mihai Grigoraș. The text symbolically interprets Augustus’s census as a foreshadowing of the registration of the elect into eternity, the birth in Bethlehem as the revelation of Christ as the Living Bread, and the manger as the place of spiritual nourishment for the faithful. The homily also emphasises that the Incarnation restored peace between humankind and the angels, calling upon the faithful to lead a pure life, worthy of their dignity as fellow citizens with God.

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