The star of the Nativity in the Patristic literature

1. Entity type Lemma
2. Original titleΤό ἄστρο τῆς Γεννήσεως στην Πατερική Γραμματεία
3. Language term Greek, Modern (1453-)
4. lemma author Koutalis, Vangelis
5. lemma category Co-existence - Natural and the supernatural > Miracles - Orthodox theological tradition and practice > Patristic studies
6. Publication date 26-02-2017
7. lemma work Bournelis, Apostolos N. [Author]. The star of the Nativity in the Patristic literature
8. lemma manifestations Η οδός
9. Keywords astronomy - the star of the Nativity - biblical tradition
10. Url Η οδός, φύλλο 4
11. Citations
    1. <p>Bournelis, A. [Μπουρνέλης, Α.] (2006). Τό ἄστρο τῆς Γεννήσεως στην Πατερική Γραμματεία. <em>Ἡ ὁδός</em>, <em>4</em>, 10-11.</p>
12. Lemma body

    1. Was the star of the nativity guiding the Magi, a natural phenomenon or a supernatural event? This is the question posed from the outset by the author. If we treat this question as a historical scientific problem, the most probable answer would be that the star recorded in the Book of Matthew actually corresponded to a superluminous star or a conjunction of planets.

       Without disrespecting the scientific position, the author presents briefly views drawn from the Patristic literature, in order to share, as he explicitly states, with his readers not only certain reflections of the Fathers of the Church on this particular issue but also to impart to them a sense of the Fathers’ living experience. Quoting passages from the writings of Ignatius of Antioch, Origen, Eusebius of Caesarea, Isidore of Pelusium, John Chrysostom and Theophylactus of Bulgaria, the author shows that in the Patristic tradition the star of the Nativity was interpreted as a paradoxical, supernatural event pertaining to the supernatural and inexpressible event of the Nativity itself.