Parts 1 and 2 The Nativity

Bethlehem.

It's beautiful.

We'll make camp for tonight,

carry on tomorrow.

Joseph, please don't hate me.

Mary!

Come, your father won't be long!

Mother!

Thank you.

How old is your younger daughter, Joachim?

Mary? She's just turned 16.

A good girl, well thought of?

Yes, she is.

And now a woman.

-Yes, rabbi.

-But not yet married?

No.

Time we found her a husband.

Jedeiah the stonemason has been without a wife for a year.

He has four children.

Jedeiah is a good man...

Perhaps a little old?

He's not yet 60.

No...

But it is well known

that he has spent little of that time in the synagogue.

My Mary is such a devout girl.

Well?

They suggested Jedeiah.

The stonemason?!

He smells!

And his children are little brats,

and he's older than us...

both of us put together!

Don't worry, I talked them out of it.

So who did we get?

-You're a carpenter, Joseph?

-Yes.

A good one?

Uh, no thank you.

-Your parents are well?

-Yes, thank you.

-Give them our best.

-Do you have your own house?

-Uh, I'm building one now.

Although I can only do it in the evenings when I've finished work.

-So, it'll be a little while yet.

-How long?

A year.

-Oh...

-Or maybe less.

Good.

Mary, why don't you show Joseph around the farm?

Your mother and I will follow.

He seems nice.

Wasn't there anyone...brighter?

He works hard, will have his own house.

I had hoped for better.

Still...at least he has teeth.

I've seen you a lot...

in the synagogue.

-Oh, I go every day.

-Every day?

Mm-mm. Yes, I love it there. It's...

It's so peaceful.

Best of all is when there's no-one else there,

and you fight your way through the market and the soldiers and the noise, and...

inside, it's so still and so cool.

You feel safe, as though...

God is cradling you in his arms.

I hadn't thought of it like that before.

If you're like the other men, you'll be too busy complaining about the money you pay to the tax collectors.

-I'm not like them.

-No?

-No.

No, I love paying my taxes,

to Herod, to Caesar.

I only wish there were more taxes.

Sometimes I wake up in a cold sweat thinking I haven't paid enough taxes!

You're funny.

Is that good?

It's not bad.

Do you think your parents like me?

I think they were worried I'd have to marry Jedeiah.

Oh, so they prefer me to a toothless old man?

Yes.

It's a start. I can build on that.

Of course, it will look totally different once I've finished.

And you've started?

Yeah.

Look...

This will be the living area,

a small kitchen here.

Uh...

Sleeping area...

Maybe a guest room on another level if you ever wanted to come and stay.

And here, I thought I could have a small worksh...

Workshop...

here.

Looks like they're starting to think

maybe Jedeiah wasn't such a bad idea after all,

teeth or no teeth.

My sister Salome married Zebediah of Capernaum.

He has his own fishing business.

-Mm-hm.

-I think my mother was secretly hoping I'd marry a rich man too.

But I believe that what's in the heart is more important than what's in the pocket.

And I hate the smell of fish.

It will be a good house.

I'm sure it will.

And I will be a good husband.

And I the best wife I can be.

We'll arrange the betrothal ceremony for next month,

with the wedding a year from then...

when the house is finished.

Receive this piece of silver

as a pledge that you shall be my spouse...

a year from today

and for the portion of your virginity,

according to the law of Moses.

And now it's time for a daughter to dance with her father.

CHEERING, ULULATING

Mary!

Come over here.

-I should be by your side.

-Elizabeth!

I'm so happy for you.

-Joseph, this is my cousin, Elizabeth.

-Hello.

-You'd better take good care of her.

-I intend to.

Is Zacharias here?

Oh, he's busy putting the world to rights, as usual.

So what are your plans after the wedding?

To have lots of children.

Well, I hope you'll both be very happy.

Did I say something wrong?

Elizabeth always wanted children, but she's barren.

-Sorry...

-No.

It wasn't your fault, you didn't know.

-Come on.

-Oh! Simon!

Simon! How lovely you're here!

How are you? Come on, let's dance.

I'm sorry.

Come on, Mary, come with me.

You have a lot of relatives.

-Yes, I do.

-I've been prodded and poked by most of them by now.

You've danced with the rest.

They're happy for me.

What about you? Are you happy?

Yes.

Well, then, I'm happy that you're happy, and I'm happy too.

And I'm not just happy that you're happy. I'd be happy anyway, whether you were happy or not.

-That didn't come out right, did it?

-No!

But you knew what I meant?

-You're happy.

-Yes, I am.

And I think your mother's warming to me.

-Oh?

-She cried when I thanked her for your hand.

-What? No, really, I definitely think they were tears of joy.

-No...

-May I ask you something?

-Of course.

Why haven't you married before?

I was saving myself.

For what?

You.

I mean, I didn't know it was you, or even what you would look like,

but I knew there was someone like you out there somewhere.

-Someone like me?

-Gentle, pure...

Not scarred by the world.

And even though the elders chose you for me,

everything I say or do until the day I die will have one purpose...

to one day make you love me.

I'll try to be a good wife.

I doubt you could be anything else.

I shall be faithful to you always. I swear it.

Then I shall be the proudest man alive.

If you're so moved by my purity,

then you won't mind me staying that way until we're married.

Me and my big mouth.

We have our whole lives.

There's no need to rush.

I think this chastity before marriage

was thought up by elders who must've had very old and very ugly wives.

It was easy for them.

Should've thought about the people coming behind them.

Isn't the sky beautiful?

Makes me feel so small.

My father thinks that all our futures are written in the stars.

I believe it.

Now where are we?

-Look, there!

-Where?

-Just there!

And our whole future, mapped out.

What does it say?

That we'll be married for 50 years and have ten children.

-Ten!

-Maybe more!

You'll need to build a bigger house.

Do you think God can see us?

I think that's the general idea.

But does he see the whole world as one,

or does he see every single one of us?

Well, maybe it's like the stars...

you can see them all, but if you concentrate...

You can just pick one out.

What is it?

Come and see!

Regulus, Saturn and Jupiter are forming a conjunction.

A trinity. Jupiter has ringed Regulus three times already,

and it now moves towards Saturn.

Look!

What are you saying, Gaspar?

They will be as one star.

-But that's not possible.

-I know!

But it's happening anyway!

This is what we've been waiting for.

For centuries, the magi have studied the stars.

They call us wise men, yet is that all we are?

Gatherers of knowledge?

Men, men who see everything,

yet can't see the nose on their own faces?

For more than a thousand years, we've waited for this!

Generations of magi, all waiting for this very moment.

Yet it comes to us,

to this generation,

and we betray all who've come before us

by arguing amongst ourselves like children!

Are you really saying it will be the star prophesied by Balaam?

See for yourself! Show him the chart.

Less than a year away.

If it even exists.

What does Melchior say?

Show him the chart.

Regulus, Jupiter, Saturn, a conjunction, Jerusalem.

I never dreamed it would be in my lifetime.

Haven't we always believed this moment would come?

Why then are we afraid?

Shhh! The prophecy is clear -

a star will come out of Jacob

and a sceptre will rise...

out of Israel.

Regulus is the royal star.

Jupiter is the planet of kings, and Saturn is the shield of Israel.

When they meet,

their light will blind the world.

I will retire to study the charts in detail.

Balthasar, you may join me to help clarify your findings. Gaspar, too.

You're certain your calculations are correct?

I've checked it a dozen times. More.

Do you really believe it could be Balaam's star?

What I believe is not important.

The prophecy is far more than just a star forming

to herald a new king in Israel.

Balaam also believed

that one day there would be a bridge

between Heaven and Earth -

that it would herald

not just a king,

but a king blessed by God himself.

There you are!

Eh, this is how it works.

If we're going to look after each other,

we got to stick together.

So no more... No more hiding in rocks, OK?

How do you feel?

Better.

Did you find it?

In the rocks at the bottom of the hill.

Poor thing.

It must've been terrified.

I think it's learnt its lesson.

-Do you need anything?

-No.

Do we have enough for the taxes?

Everything's fine.

Just rest.

Come on, get in line.

Get your taxes ready.

Next.

Thomas, son of Abimael. Shepherd.

Five denarii.

My wife is sick.

We had a child, she lost a lot of blood.

We needed medicine.

-Seven, next week.

-Yes.

-Thank you.

-If it's short again,

we'll come and take livestock.

Next.

Name?

May the source of strength bless the ones that came before us

help us find the courage to make our lives a blessing.

Amen.

Thomas, how is your wife?

Still a little weak.

I will call by and see her.

Thank you.

You seem troubled.

I couldn't afford my taxes.

Leah's medicine.

Now it's more next week.

Herod tries to buy our favour with his new temple,

yet he takes food from our mouths to build it.

We should all refuse to pay

and march on his palace.

Our time will come.

Messiah will come.

One man to fight Herod and the whole Roman Empire?

Not just a man...

The Messiah will be sent by God.

And what concern would someone like that have for a shepherd?

I try to believe, Rabbi,

but it's hard.

Not to believe is to live without hope.

When we're married, will you still come to watch me work every day?

And who would take care of the house?

We could get a servant.

-On a carpenter's wages?

-I'll work twice as quickly with you there, so will earn twice as much.

-That doesn't seem to have worked this morning.

-It's too hot!

All the more need for a roof!

Are you telling me off?

-No.

-You're turning into your mother, I knew it.

If I'm going to be your wife, I need a house to live in.

It's only been a few months.

I think it's going really well.

For a house without a roof.

-I can't see.

-That's the whole idea.

-But what are you doing?

-It's not what I'm doing, it's what I've done.

-Well?

-Oh, it's beautiful!

Then you will fit perfectly.

-I'm sorry.

-Please, don't be.

If I'd known you'd be this happy, I would've worked faster.

It's perfect.

Couldn't we just have a quiet wedding?

-Quiet?

-Just you and me.

I think the rabbi needs to be there.

Oh, all right, just one rabbi.

And our parents and family...

I'm useless at formal things, I spill drinks and bump into people.

-I'll take care of you.

-Your mother keeps looking at me.

Like she's sizing me up all the time. She looks at me, then she does this...

sighing thing.

-She likes you.

-If you like someone, you smile at them, you don't sigh.

Oh, I do love you, you're so funny...

Say that again.

You're funny!

No, not the funny bit, the other bit, the bit before that bit.

My mother likes you.

No, after that... before "you're funny".

-You said you loved me.

-Did I?

-Yes.

I mean, I know I love you and I wanted you to love me

and I thought that one day you might.

But you just said it...out loud.

Then it must be true.

So you do... Love me?

Yes, I love you.

-Can everyone come to the wedding now?

-Everyone!

The whole world!

Strangers, lepers, even Romans!

The rabbi needs to speak to you both.

Hello, Mary.

Don't be afraid.

Who are you?

My parents are just inside!

They're sleeping.

And you mustn't worry,

God is with you.

He holds you in much favour.

Please...

Sit.

You're safe,

I promise.

What do you want with me?

My name is Gabriel,

and I have stood in the presence of God

and he has sent me to you.

I don't understand.

You have been chosen.

I don't know what you mean.

Chosen for what?

You will bear a child.

A son.

He will be called Jesus.

-Jesus.

-He will form a bridge between Heaven and Earth for all time.

He will be called the Son of God,

and he will take up the throne of David...

..and his reign...

will know no end.

But I've never been with a man.

How could I be with child?

The Holy Spirit has found you.

You have nothing to fear, Mary.

Why are you saying this?

It isn't true. I don't know who you are, but I don't believe you.

-Now leave me.

-Do you love your God, Mary?

Mary?

Yes.

Do you trust in Him?

Yes.

Close your eyes.

Look inside yourself.

Find the Holy Spirit within you.

It will be shown to you now.

SHE GASPS AND WHEEZES

You are blessed amongst women.

You carry the son of God!

It can't be!

Joseph!

He is a good man. He will care for you and the child.

The light of the world is within you!

Your cousin Elizabeth and her husband have also conceived a son.

The child will be called John, and he will be known as the Baptist,

and he will prepare the way for the son of God.

Be strong, Mary.

For you shall be called great amongst women.

And from you...

..will come a king.

SHE WEEPS

Thank you.

-You should sleep.

-I can't.

-Joseph...

-We'll leave just after dawn. Try to get some rest.

Mary! I was just...

It's beautiful.

I thought we could put a crib there, maybe two.

The other eight might be a problem.

There's still lots to do.

But look, I finished my work table.

It's bigger than I planned, the wood was, well...

Made the chairs.

Joseph, I need to talk to you.

What's wrong? You don't like it?

No. No, no, no. I love it.

It's going to be everything I knew it would.

Then what?

I don't know if I can be the wife you want.

The one you deserve.

I knew this would happen.

You're nervous about the wedding.

-No...

-It's natural. But you mustn't be. Every step you take

for the rest of your life, I'll be right next to you.

-But...

-Do you love me?

-Yes.

-Then we'll be married in the summer.

And this house will be full of love

and laughter and the sound of children playing.

And every day, I'll wake up with only one thought in my mind,

which is how I can make you happier.

But what if I can't be the wife you think I can?

How can you be anything else?

Mary?

I think I had a dream.

You think?

Someone came, they told me that I was blessed by God.

Not nearly as blessed as I am.

-All you've got is me, whereas I've got you.

-He said...

Whatever it was, it was just a dream.

You're nervous about the wedding, that's all.

I have waited my whole life for you.

Nothing will ever come between us.

She needs more rest, and perhaps more absinthium.

Do you have much left?

Thomas, son of Abimael.

Your tax is late. Seven denarii.

Just one more week, please. My wife, she's...

-Take it in meat.

-No! No, please!

LAMBS BLEAT

-Well?

-The council have decided to wait.

-What?

-To see if the star appears before making a decision.

But that'll be too late. Look.

The arcs have continued, and its path remains the same.

The conjunction is here.

It'll burn brightest above Jerusalem, in the land of the Jews.

It will take us months to get there. If we wait, we'll miss it!

We can't make such a journey unnoticed.

The Romans will see it as an invasion into their territories.

They could turn us back, or worse.

-But the region is under King Herod's rule.

-And do you think that he's any better?

-We have to go.

He's right, of course.

Just imagine -

a new king to be born,

blessed by the god of Abraham.

The magi must be there, at the heart of it.

-We must understand what it means.

-It's not safe.

What if Herod or the Romans attack our convoy?

Don't be ridiculous.

The journey'll probably kill me anyway.

Mother, have you heard anything from Elizabeth?

Your cousin? No, I haven't. Why?

I thought I might visit her.

Absolutely not. The road to Judah's too dangerous.

-I think I had a dream.

-And she was in this dream?

In a way.

It's been on my mind ever since,

so I thought if I saw her, I'd know that what I saw was just a dream.

-What would Joseph say?

-He's busy with the house.

Please.

I'll talk to your father.

Sire, we've had word from Augustus Caesar in Rome.

-He thinks we're cheating him?

-Tributes have fallen.

He's organised a census in all the territories.

-And if we refuse?

-He may get his legions to do it for him.

He wouldn't dare.

If all the regions of the empire are going to take part,

he can't be seen to allow only us to refuse.

It would undermine his authority.

What about MY authority?

-To govern my own kingdom as I see fit?

-That's unquestioned,

within our own borders.

Yet Augustus uses his legions to dictate what I can and cannot do.

What kind of king does that make me?

Even the Jews despise me.

-No, sire.

-Oh...

You think I don't hear what they say?

That I'm only half a Jew,

not worthy to rule over them.

That one day,

a messiah will come to lead them.

It's old wives' tales, nothing more.

Is it?

You have the backing of Rome.

-Who could possibly threaten you?

-Rome itself.

"All citizens of the empire are to return to their birthplace,

"and for the village registrars to confirm their entries."

How shall I reply?

Tell them we expect our cooperation to be rewarded by Rome.

Sire.

-I should be coming with you.

-I'll be back before you know it.

That's too long.

-I have to see Elizabeth.

-Why now?

Can't explain, not yet. But I will, I promise.

Don't be long.

Watch your head.

Amos, you look after my bride. Bring her back safe!

To Jerusalem!

Father.

Elizabeth?

He was in the temple and he said he heard the word of God

telling him we were to conceive a child.

He hasn't spoken since that day,

so he writes everything down.

Just leaves notes lying around for me to read.

And the voice he heard, he said it was God?

He has no doubt.

-And you?

-I don't know what to think.

But then there's this.

How can I explain it?

The voice, what did it say?

It said that the two of us were to conceive a son

who would prepare the way for someone greater.

Zacharias thinks the Messiah is coming.

He said that he was even given a name that we are to call our child.

John.

How can you know that?

Mary?

Uh, someone came to see me.

Um, a man.

At least I think he was a man.

He said I was to bear a son.

What kind of man?

I don't know. He was there and then he wasn't.

It was like a dream.

He told me to close my eyes,

and inside I was bathed in light, and in warmth,

and in so much love,

a feeling I can't describe, and I knew it was true.

½You're with child now?

Joseph?

No, no. I'm still a virgin.

Mary, you can't...

No, it's true!

That's why I'm here. He told me you would bear a son too,

that he would be called John and would prepare the way for him.

My baby gave such a kick when I saw you.

Elizabeth, you must help me.

Mary!

Mary!

Look!

I told Zacharias what you told me, and he wrote this down.

It's from the book of Isaiah.

Can you read it to me?

"Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son,

"and God shall be among us."

You're carrying the messiah.

Do you believe that?

Do you really believe?

-If you truly are a virgin...

-Elizabeth, I'm so frightened.

Think what this means.

God has chosen you.

But I am nobody.

Mary, you are blessed.

You will be remembered for generations to come.

I don't know what to do.

Stay here a while,

I'll send word to your parents.

But the time will come when you must go home.

And if Joseph won't believe me?

Then it's a burden that you must carry alone.

Oh, thank you.

Mmm.

What do you think we'll find when we get to the land of the Jews?

If I knew that, I wouldn't need to make the journey.

You called it...a bridge.

A bridge between Heaven and Earth.

Such a star can't mean anything else.

But a bridge for what purpose?

Do you believe in God, Balthasar?

-Yes.

-Yes.

As what?

A presence?

An intellect? Someone who...

created the world and moved on, or someone who stayed and watches us,

like a father?

I'm not sure.

There was a time when it seems

the god of Abraham intervened

when he raised Sodom to the ground,

sent manna from Heaven to feed the hungry.

In the Jewish faith, there was no doubt who or what he was when he helped Moses in Egypt,

sending plagues against the pharaohs.

Yes, but the times of God's intervention on Earth are long past.

They're little more than stories now.

Yes, yes. But isn't that how you deal with a child?

You nurture them, a constant presence, teaching them to fend for themselves,

to make their own way in the world,

making rules so that when the time comes, you let the child go.

Yes.

Because the father no longer intervenes in the lives of his children

but simply watches from a distance as they make their way in the world,

does it mean he's no longer there?

No.

No, of course not.

But what if the child appeared to have lost his way?

To have forgotten the things that he was taught?

The father would...

intervene.

Wouldn't you?

I don't understand why she's been away so long.

Amos brought back word.

Her cousin Elizabeth is with child and close to her time.

-Mary is helping her.

-And that's all?

What else could it be?

Elizabeth is old.

How she conceived in the first place is beyond me.

We all thought her barren.

But it's typical of Mary to stay and help.

She's a good girl.

-You have nothing to fear, I'd stake my life on it.

-So would I.

Well, then.

You've heard about the census?

There's talk of little else.

We have to register at our town of birth,

so I have to travel to Bethlehem.

Ah, so that's the problem.

You're worried that you won't see her before you leave?

I miss her so much.

It'll take me weeks to travel to Bethlehem and back.

She'll have forgotten what I look like, if she hasn't already.

I'll try and send word to Elizabeth, see what we can do.

Herod's border is half a day's ride.

It's better we don't cross at night.

We must show them we have nothing to hide.

Then we'll stop here. Set up camp.

Stop!

Mary?

I've had word from your father.

It's time to go home.

Sire...

a messenger has arrived with this.

A magi caravan has been seen crossing the border from the east.

Joseph, Mary's home.

-What?

-She arrived back from Judah, but there's a...

Ha-ha!

Mary!

Joseph.

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