One of the most egregious forms of arrogance by “modern man” is the notion that no one before the 1500s… or even 1962… had any idea when anything happened, what year it was, what date it was, or had any means of knowing or recording anything. This is laughable in an age when everyone, including small children, walk around with a baby television that gives them complete access to the sum of human knowledge, available to them in their mother tongue or any language they choose, and the vast majority of teenagers in post-Christian North America couldn’t name their eight great-grandparents if you put a gun to their head, and furthermore have exactly zero desire or curiosity to know who they were. Most modern teens have absolutely no idea what their grandmothers’ maiden names were, and quite a few have no idea when their own parents – not grandparents, but PARENTS – were born. Look around you. If anyone is functionally retarded to the point of not even knowing when major events happened, it is us, NOT the people of 2000 years ago, who kept and memorized meticulous genealogies and most assuredly knew when their children were born.

The Blessed Virgin Mary knew EXACTLY when Our Lord was born, and she told the story countless times, no doubt, including to all of the Apostles, most especially St. John and certainly to St. Luke who wrote the Nativity narrative in his Gospel. And yes, St. Luke tells us the date of Our Lord’s Nativity in his gospel when he opens with the narrative of the conception of St. John the Baptist.

Luke 1:    Forasmuch as many have taken in hand to set forth in order a narration of the things that have been accomplished among us; According as they have delivered them unto us, who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word: It seemed good to me also, having diligently attained to all things from the beginning, to write to thee in order, most excellent Theophilus, that thou mayest know the verity of those words in which thou hast been instructed. There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest named Zachary, of the course of Abia; and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name Elizabeth.

And they were both just before God, walking in all the commandments and justifications of the Lord without blame. 7 And they had no son, for that Elizabeth was barren, and they both were well advanced in years. 8 And it came to pass, when he executed the priestly function in the order of his course before God, 9 According to the custom of the priestly office, it was his lot to offer incense, going into the temple of the Lord. 10 And all the multitude of the people was praying without, at the hour of incense.

(Zachary is on duty in the Temple, going into the Holy of Holies, where the Archangel Gabriel appears to him…)

11 And there appeared to him an angel of the Lord, standing on the right side of the altar of incense. 12 And Zachary seeing him, was troubled, and fear fell upon him. 13 But the angel said to him: Fear not, Zachary, for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elizabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John.

(…)

And the people were waiting for Zachary; and they wondered that he tarried so long in the temple. 22 And when he came out, he could not speak to them: and they understood that he had seen a vision in the temple. And he made signs to them, and remained dumb. 23 And it came to pass, after the days of his office were accomplished, he departed to his own house. 24 And after those days, Elizabeth his wife conceived, and hid herself five months, saying: 25 Thus hath the Lord dealt with me in the days wherein he hath had regard to take away my reproach among men.

Now I’ll blockquote a website with the exact details of the date of Zachary’s Temple service:

https://www.dec25th.info/Preisty%20Courses%20Explained.html

“…the priestly rotations were framed within a 24-year cycle, originally set in motion by Solomon and renewed by Ezra, which commenced the Sabbath on or next before Tishri 1 (I Kings 8:2; II Chrn. 5:3; Ezra 7:1).[5] Each course served one week twice annually, plus such additional weeks necessary to fill out the year, coming in the evening of the Sabbath (Friday) and going out the evening of the Sabbath (Friday) following.[6] Assuming each course advanced annually to the next station or week in the calendar, the cycle of priestly ministration would be completed in 24 years, at which point it would begin anew.[7]

Rabbinic tradition placing Jehoiarib on service when the temple was destroyed allows us to identify the station in the twenty-four-year cycle. From there we can find when the cycle began. Then, by reckoning backward in twenty-four-year increments to the course preceding the conception of John the Baptist in 3 B.C., we can putatively identify the week and month Zachariah was serving. The number of steps from the first station of Jehoiarib’s second ministration (for the first does not reach so far) to the week of Ab 9 is twenty-one stations. Thus, A.D. 70 was the twenty-first year in the twenty-four-year cycle. To return to the beginning of the cycle we subtract twenty years from A.D. 70, which brings us to A.D. 50. Subtracting twenty-four more years brings us to A.D. 26; this course would therefore have consisted of the years A.D. 26-49. Twenty-four more years brings us to A.D. 2; this course would have consisted of the years A.D. 2-25. 24 years more bring us to 23 B.C. (there was no year zero). This course would have consisted of the years 23 B.C. to 1 A.D.

Counting forward from 23 B.C. to 3 B.C. when John was conceived shows that the course of Abijah would have been serving at its twenty-first station when Gabriel appeared to Zachariah (23 B.C. to 3 B.C. = 21). Assuming Zachariah’s course was in its second ministration, this would mean he was on duty approximately the week of Elul 28-Tishri 5 (Sept. 8-14). We do not know how long after Zachariah’s ministration his wife conceived. Human fertility cycles run about 28 days, during which a woman is fertile only about 7. If we allow that Elizabeth conceived the second week after Zechariah returned home, this would place conception in the week of Tishri 13-19 (Sept. 22-28). Normal human gestation is 38 weeks. A 38-week gestation would place John’s birth the week of Tammuz 21-27 (June 20-26), 2 B.C. Based on statements in Luke, John was about six months older than our Lord (Lk. 1:36, 56). Six months is 26 weeks. Twenty-six weeks from John’s birth brings us to Tebet 25-Shebat 2, which answers to the week of December 22-28.“

The date of Christmas is the date of Our Lord’s birth. Today is truly the birthday of Jesus Christ. Don’t believe the satanic propaganda that Christmas is just a re-branded pagan festival. The Church has known from day one exactly when Our Lord was born, because The Blessed Virgin Mary, Co-redemptrix, Mediatrix of all Graces, and Queen of Heaven and Earth is also Mother of the Church, and, the Mother of God. She knew when He was born, and she TOLD everyone when he was born, and St. Luke cited it in reference to St. Zachary’s conversation with Gabriel inside the Holy of Holies in September of 3 B.C. John the Baptist was conceived a few weeks later, and Our Lord was conceived six months later on 25 March, John the Baptist was born on the 24th of June, and Our Lord on December 25th, 15 1/2 months after Gabriel and Zachary’s talk, during his Temple Service in the Second Ministration of the Course of Abijah. Just as St. Luke said in his Gospel.

Happy Birthday, Sweet Lord Jesus, King and God and Sacrifice.

Be near me, Lord Jesus, I ask Thee to stay,
Close by me forever, and love me, I pray.
Bless all the dear children in Thy tender care,
And take us to heaven to live with Thee there.