In religious communities, great Cathedrals and small chapels around the world, the Proclamation of Christmas will be joyfully sung or read on Christmas eve or Christmas morning. From ancient times, this has been the way the Church begins its celebration of this glorious day.

A formal "Proclamation of the Birth of Christ" is traditionally chanted or recited before the beginning of the Christmas Midnight Mass and/or during the Divine Office on Christmas Eve. The text, which comes from the "Roman Martyrology" for December 24, situates the birth of Jesus Christ within the context of salvation history. It begins with the creation of the world, mentions certain key events in the history of the people of Israel, and concludes with the birth of Jesus during the Roman Era.

The celebrant, a deacon or another cleric may briefly introduce The Proclamation of the Birth of Christ using these or similar words.

Throughout the season of Advent,
the Church has reflected on God’s promises,
so often spoken by the prophets,
to send a savior to the people of Israel
who would be Emmanuel, that is, God with us.
In the fullness of time those promises were fulfilled.
With hearts full of joy
let us listen to the proclamation of our Savior’s birth.

The deacon (or other minister) then proclaims the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Whether read aloud, sung by a single voice, led by a choir or simply used for our own private reading, the words of the Proclamation offer us a sense of the place in history that the birth of our Savior has and invites us to rejoice.

THE LITURGICAL CHRISTMAS PROCLAMATION FROM THE ROMAN MARTYROLOGY

The Christmas Proclamation

The Twenty-fifth day of December

In the five thousand one hundred and ninety-ninth year of the creation of the world from the time when God in the beginning created the heavens and the earth;

the two thousand nine hundred and fifty-seventh year after the flood;

the two thousand and fifteenth year from the birth of Abraham;

the one thousand five hundred and tenth year from Moses and the going forth of the people of Israel from Egypt;

the one thousand and thirty-second year from David's being anointed king;

in the sixty-fifth week according to the prophecy of Daniel;

in the one hundred and ninety-fourth Olympiad;

the seven hundred and fifty-second year from the foundation of the city of Rome;

the forty second year of the reign of Octavian Augustus;

the whole world being at peace,in the sixth age of the world,

Jesus Christ the eternal God and Son of the eternal Father, desiring to sanctify the world by his most merciful coming, being conceived by the Holy Spirit, and nine months having passed since his conception, was born in Bethlehem of Judea of the Virgin Mary, being made flesh.

The Nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ according to the flesh.