Star of Bethlehem

===Eastern Orthodoxy===
[[File:Nativity Icon.jpg|thumb|[[Russian icons|Russian icon]] of the Nativity. The Star of Bethlehem is depicted at the center top as a dark semicircle, with a single ray coming down.]]
In the [[Eastern Orthodox Church]], the Star of Bethlehem is interpreted as a miraculous event of symbolic and pedagogical significance, regardless of whether it coincides with a natural phenomenon; a sign sent by God to lead the [[Biblical Magi|Magi]] to the [[Christ Child]].{{citation needed|date=March 2016}} This is illustrated in the [[Troparion]] of the Nativity:

{{poemquote|
Your birth, O Christ our God,
dawned the light of knowledge upon the earth.
For by Your birth [[Biblical Magi|those who adored stars]]
were taught by a star
to worship You, the Sun of Justice,
and to know You, Orient from on High.
O Lord, glory to You.<ref>{{cite web | title = Hymns of the Feast| url = http://www.goarch.org/special/listen_learn_share/nativity | work = Feast of the Nativity of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ | publisher = [[Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America]] | date = 2009}}</ref>}}

In Orthodox [[Christian iconography]], the Star of Bethlehem is often depicted not as golden, but as a dark [[aureola]], a semicircle at the top of the icon, indicating the [[Uncreated Light]] of [[Divine grace]], with a ray pointing to "the place where the young child lay" (Matthew 2:9).<ref>{{bibleverse|Matthew|2:9|KJV}}</ref> Sometimes the faint image of an angel is drawn inside the aureola.

[[Simon the Athonite]] founded the monastery of [[Simonopetra]] on [[Mount Athos]] after seeing a star he identified with the Star of Bethlehem.<ref>[https://oca.org/saints/lives/2014/12/28/103680-venerable-simon-the-myrrh-gusher-of-mt-athos Venerable Simon the Myrrh-gusher of Mt Athos] at oca.org, accessed 31 October 2017.</ref>