The Virgin Birth of Jesus Christ 

date of Christ's Birth can be no later than 8 

B.C.

 Also, the generally accepted date can be no earlier than 12 

B.C.

, making the actual date no earlier than 19 

B.C.

 On this basis, the range for the year of Christ's Birth must 

be between 19 

B.C.

 and 8 

B.C.

, inclusive. 

    Many scholars believe that Christ was born sometime in the range of 6 

B.C.

 to 1 

B.C.

, but none of these dates 

are seven years earlier than any year that was reckoned as the year of Christ's Birth during Blessed Anne 

Catherine's lifetime. Even in the earliest days of the Church, it was generally believed that Christ was born in 

some year during the period of time which was later called  

B.C.

 .

169

 On this basis, any year for the Birth of 

Jesus Christ later than 8 

B.C.

 is too late to be reconciled with her statement that  Christ was born 7 years and a 

portion of a year earlier  than people generally believed during her lifetime. Therefore, the years 4 

B.C.

 and 3 

A.D.

 do not agree with the chronological information given by Blessed Anne Catherine Emmerich. 

    Which year was generally accepted during Blessed Anne Catherine's lifetime as the year of Christ's Birth? 

The year 8 

B.C.

 was long considered a possible year for the Birth of Christ. For example, an article in an older 

edition of the reference book Catholic Commentary, suggested 8 

B.C.

 as a likely year for Christ's Birth.

170

 And 

historians have long held that there was a census of some kind conducted in 8 

B.C.

 (Though it now appears 

that the census of 8 

B.C.

 did not apply to the Jews, this was probably not known during her lifetime.) If the 

seven years is to be counted from this commonly held date for the Birth of Christ, then counting back from 8 

B.C.

 brings us to 15 

B.C.

 The year 15 

B.C.

 fits well with the information from Blessed Anne Catherine about 

the Birth of Jesus Christ. 

    Christ was born on Nov. 25 and on a Sunday. From 20 

B.C.

 to 

A.D.

 7, the only years in which Nov. 25 fell 

on a Sunday are 15 

B.C.

, 4 

B.C.,

 and 

A.D.

 3. But these last two years, 4 

B.C.

 and 3 

A.D.

, are too late to fit 

Blessed Anne Catherine's statement that Christ was born 7 years earlier than a commonly held date for the 

Birth of Christ. Therefore, Christ was born on Sunday, Nov. 25 of 15 

B.C.

From the Birth to the Crucifixion 

    The length of Jesus Christ's life from the Incarnation to His Crucifixion was 33 years and  six weeks (as 

explained in chapter 2). Christ was born Nov. 25 of 15 

B.C.

 and His Incarnation occurred Feb. 25 of that same 

year. Counting forward 33 years and six weeks from Feb. 25 of 15 

B.C.

 brings us to exactly April 7 of 19 

A.D.

That day coincided with Nisan 14 and a Friday, in agreement with what the Gospel of John states about the 

Crucifixion. Therefore, Christ died on April 7 of 

A.D.

 19, and Christ rose from the dead on April 9 of 

A.D.

 19. 

    Notice that the above date for the Birth of Christ was determined independent of the date for the 

Crucifixion. Yet, these two dates are in perfect agreement, exact to the day, with the age of Christ given by 

Blessed Anne Catherine. Furthermore, Blessed Anne Catherine did not know that this information fit together 

so well. There is no indication whatsoever that she knew in which years Nov. 25 was a Sunday, nor in which 

years Nisan 14 was a Friday. She never states the year in 

B.C.

 or 

A.D.

 of any event in Christ's life. She only 

gives separate pieces of chronological information derived from her visions from God. Yet it all fits together so 

well because it is true. 

    These dates for the Birth, Crucifixion, and Resurrection of Jesus are significantly earlier than the dates given 

by other scholars for these events. Further evidence in support of this early chronology is given, not only in the 

chapters on the Birth and Crucifixion of Jesus, but throughout this book. An examination of the chronology 

for other events in the lives of Jesus Christ and the Virgin Mary lends additional support to this chronology. 

For example, Blessed Anne Catherine's comments about the Holy Family's flight to Egypt also support the 

year 15 

B.C.

 as the year of Christ's Birth. And the chronology of the rebuilding of the Second Temple of 

Jerusalem fits the information given by Blessed Anne Catherine about the Immaculate Conception of the 

Virgin Mary. 

Additional Information 

    Blessed Anne Catherine Emmerich presents some additional details about events surrounding the Birth of 

Jesus Christ. Though we have already determined the year of Christ's Birth from the information above, these 

additional details clarify the situation in Israel at the time of Our Lord's Birth. She gives interesting 

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