Jesus Christ, whether or not you believe him to be the Son of God, has had a profound influence on the world for more than 2,000 years.

Jesus Christ, whether or not you believe him to be the Son of God, has had a profound influence on the world for more than 2,000 years.

Christian tradition says his birth was heralded by the appearance of an unnaturally bright star, which, according to the New Testament, led three “wise men” of the East to the child’s birth place.

Matthew's Gospel says the three followed the star until they reached Bethlehem. Once there they paid homage to Jesus and gave him gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.

The New Testament begins the story of Christ's coming by telling how the angel Gabriel visited a young woman living in the Galilee town of Nazareth to explain she was going to have God's son.

The angel said: "Do not be afraid, Mary. God loves you dearly. You are going to be the mother of a son and you will call him Jesus. He will be great and will be known as the Son of the most high."

Luke's Gospel says Mary, who was engaged to a carpenter called Joseph, was terrified — but said: "I belong to the Lord, body and soul. Let it happen as you say."

Later, when Mary was due to give birth, she and Joseph had to go to Bethlehem to take part in a census ordered by the Romans.

The town was so packed they were unable to find lodgings anywhere and had to sleep in a stable.

Luke tells how, as Mary was giving birth there, an angel of the Lord appeared to shepherds guarding their flocks nearby and said Christ the Saviour had been born.

He said that if the shepherds went to Bethlehem and looked in the stable at the inn there, they would see for themselves.

The shepherds went straight to Bethlehem and found Mary, Joseph and the baby exactly as the angel had predicted.

The Christian religion teaches that the birth marks the arrival of the Messiah — the redeemer who will save Mankind.

The word messiah itself is an English translation of a Hebrew term meaning "the anointed one".

To the ancient Hebrews, anointing a person with oil meant that they were qualified to play a significant religious role in the community.

In the earlier books of the Old Testament, the priests, prophets and kings of the Hebrews are all referred to as messiahs at different points.

But by the 1st Century BC the term had come to represent the future ruler of the Jews whose coming had been prophesied.

Many thought this meant a political saviour who would rescue the Jews from the oppression of Roman rule.

Christian tradition claims there are more than 300 prophecies in the books of the Old Testament that prove Jesus was the longed-for Messiah.

Many are said to relate to his descent from Abraham, Isaac and King David.

The Book of Isaiah is said to refer to him being born of a virgin, rejected by his own people — and eventually executed among criminals.