Important Dates in the Lives of Jesus and Mary 

    The death of Herod could not have occurred in Jesus' fifth year. Blessed Anne Catherine tells us that Herod 

had Zechariah put to death when John the Baptist was six years old.

367

 John was only about five months older 

than Jesus, and he turned six years old about late June or early July of 9 

B.C.

 Jesus was then five years old, 

which was Jesus' sixth year, not His fifth year. A person completes their fifth year of life since birth on their 

fifth birthday, so that the year which follows is their sixth year (but they are called `five years old'). Also, 

Herod died in the winter after an eclipse of the moon visible from Jerusalem. The next lunar eclipse after John 

turned six years old (i.e. after June/July of 9 

B.C.

) was on Nov. 28 of 9 

B.C.

, which was after Jesus turned six 

years old and had begun His seventh year of life since His Birth. Therefore, Herod died in Jesus' seventh year, 

not His fifth. 

     I saw the Holy Family's departure from Egypt. Herod was long since dead, but danger still threatened and 

they could not return. 

368

    Blessed Anne Catherine Emmerich tells us that the Holy Family did not return from Egypt immediately 

upon the death of Herod. Herod died in early 8 

B.C.

, but the Holy Family did not return to Israel that year. 

     The return from Egypt happened in September. Jesus was nearly eight years old. 

369

    Jesus was born Nov. 25 of 15 

B.C.

, and so He completed eight years of life from birth in November of 7 

B.C.

In September of 7 

B.C.

, Jesus was nearly eight years old. Therefore, the Holy Family returned from Egypt in 

September of 7 

B.C.

 The return from Egypt happened well over a year after the death of Herod. Jesus was then 

seven years old, and in His eighth year of life since birth. 

     At the age of eight years, Jesus went for the first time with His parents to Jerusalem for the Pasch, and 

every succeeding year He did the same. 

370

    Jesus did not have the opportunity to attend the Passover in Jerusalem while the Holy Family was in exile 

in Egypt. The first time that He had the opportunity to attend the Passover in Jerusalem was the Passover 

following their return from Egypt. If the Holy Family returned from Egypt in 7 

B.C.

, then Jesus could attend 

the Passover in Jerusalem for the first time in 6 

B.C.

, when He was eight years old counting from birth, (but 

nine years old counting from the Incarnation). 

    The length of time that the Holy Family spent in Egypt was about 6  years, from March of 13 

B.C.

 to 

September of 7 

B.C.

 This is about the same length of time as the future time of great suffering for the Church 

revealed in the book of Daniel (cf. Dan 9:24, 27; 8:14) and the book of Revelation. The suffering of the Holy 

Family in Egypt foreshadows the suffering of the Church during that future time of great suffering, the Passion 

of the Church, described in Sacred Scripture.

 371

Lost and Found in the Temple 

     Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the feast of the Passover. And when he was twelve years 

old, they went up according to custom; and when the feast was ended, as they were returning, the boy Jesus 

stayed behind in Jerusalem.  (Lk 2:41 43). 

    Sacred Scripture states plainly that Jesus was 12 years old at the time of this particular Passover. Later in the 

Gospel of Luke, Sacred Scripture gives the age of Jesus at the beginning of His ministry as  about thirty years 

of age  (Lk 3:23). The word `about' is not used in the earlier passage referring to the Child Jesus in Jerusalem, 

but is used in the later passage concerning the beginning of Jesus' ministry. And so, when Sacred Scripture 

tells us that Jesus was 12 years old, the meaning cannot be that Jesus was about 12, for the word `about' is 

deliberately not used in this instance. Therefore, Jesus was 12 years old when He was lost and found in the 

Temple of Jerusalem. 

    Jesus was conceived on February 25, and born on November 25, of 15 

B.C.

 He completed 12 years of life, 

counting from conception, in February of 3 

B.C.

, but He completed 12 years of life from birth in November of 

3 

B.C.

 At the Passover of 3 

B.C.

, Jesus was 12 years old from conception and 11 years old from birth. At the 

Passover of 2 

B.C.

, Jesus was 13 years old from conception and 12 years old from birth. Does Sacred Scripture 

here count the age of Jesus from His Holy Conception or from His Holy Birth? 

94