The Virgin Birth of Jesus Christ 

planets and with the moon and certain bright stars are very common events.

206

 Why would one particular 

conjunction be given so much more importance than all the others? 

    On the other hand, a comet which is bright enough to be seen with the naked eye, and which splits in two, 

would be very unusual. It would present a pattern in the sky complex enough to be interpreted as a picture 

with certain meanings, (especially when seen against the pattern of stars in the background). Also, from 

ancient times and in many lands, comets have been considered to be signs associated with great kings.

207

A Natural Comet with Supernatural Aspects 

    The Christmas Star was most likely not an actual star, but a comet with supernatural aspects, that is, a 

comet which was accompanied by a supernatural light and guided by God. Only a supernatural event could 

completely explain all of the details about the Christmas Star given in Sacred Scripture and in the visions of 

Blessed Anne Catherine Emmerich. One might take the view that the Christmas Star was entirely 

supernatural, yet it was evidently able to be seen in the sky by many people, even by those who saw in it no 

special meaning, such as the inhabitants of certain towns through which the three wise men passed.

208

    On the other hand, any explanation which attempts to explain the Christmas Star as solely a natural event, 

merely coincidental to the Birth of the Son of God, is both insufficient and false. Many scholars have written 

about the Christmas star as if it were merely a naturally occurring event, which happened to coincide with 

Christ's Birth. Such events as comets, supernovae, and the conjunction of planets happen again and again 

throughout human history. The reigns of earthly kings and their battles have often been considered to have 

been marked by comets and other events in the night sky.

209

 But God would not mark the Birth of the Son of 

God and Savior of humanity merely by a coincidental natural event, the likes of which has occurred and 

would occur again many times. The unique supernatural aspects of the Christmas Star testify to the Divine 

Nature of the Christ Child. 

Finding the Christmas Star 

    Ancient Chinese and Korean astronomers observed novae (new stars) and comets and kept detailed records 

of their observations. There is no record, from these ancient astronomers, of the observation of a comet in 15 

B.C.

210

 However, there appear to be gaps in the extant records of these ancient astronomers. Some records may 

have been lost as the centuries passed, or there may have been periods of time when these astronomers 

(perhaps because of political or social changes) were not active in observing comets and keeping records. 

Roman historians also made note of comets and other celestial events, but with less detail than the Chinese 

and Korean astronomers. Also, Roman historians tended to mention comet observations only when these 

coincided with some important event in Roman history, such as the death of a leader, or the beginning of a 

war. 

    The Roman historian Dio Cassius records the observation of a comet at the time of the death of the Roman 

general Agrippa.  The star called the comet hung for several days over the city and was finally dissolved into 

flashes resembling torches .These were the events connected with Agrippa's death. 

211

 The exact time of year 

when this comet was observed is not given by Dio. However, the sequence of events which he describes is as 

follows. 

    In the year when P. S. Quirinius was consul, my revised date of 16 

B.C.

 (usually dated as 12 

B.C.

), Agrippa 

had returned from Syria to Rome. Caesar Augustus conferred on him tribunician powers for a five year term, 

then sent him to Pannonia to quell a rebellion there.  And Agrippa set out on the campaign in spite of the fact 

that the winter had already begun (this was the year in which Marcus Valerius [Messala] and Publius Sulpicius 

[Quirinius] were the consuls); but when the Pannonians became terrified at his approach and gave up their 

plans for rebellion, he returned, and upon reaching Campania, fell ill. 

212

 Notice that Agrippa went to 

Pannonia in early winter in 16 

B.C.

 (12 

B.C., 

usual date). He was there only a short time because the 

Pannonians gave up their plans to rebel against the Romans. He then went to Campania and fell ill. 

    Dio then tells us that Augustus was presiding over the gladiatorial contests at the festival of Quinquatrus 

(the Panathenaic festival in Athens), when he heard of Agrippa's illness.

213

 The Roman festival of Quinquatrus 

occurs from March 19 23.

214

 Augustus then traveled to Campania to visit Agrippa, but before he arrived 

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