Three Wise Men are just a legend, says Archbishop of Canterbury

Jesus was born in December, in a snow-covered stable, where he was visited by three wise men bearing gifts, and was wrapped in swaddling clothes by his mother.

Or rather he wasn't - according to the leader of the Church of England.

Dr Rowan Williams yesterday debunked a large part of the Christmas story as a myth.

During an interview on Radio Five, the Archbishop of Canterbury dismissed the well-known version of events as legend saying: "Matthew's Gospel doesn't tell us there were three of them, doesn't tell us they were kings, doesn't tell us where they came from.

"It says they are astrologers, wise men, priests from somewhere outside the Roman Empire, that's all we're really told."

Turning to the topic of when Jesus was born, he said it was 'very unlikely'that there was snow.

He said there was no evidence of animals present - a popular theme of Christmas cards.

He dismissed the idea that the star of the North stood still in the night sky - because stars just don't behave like that.

For good measure, he added Jesus probably wasn't even born in December. He said: "Christmas was when it was because it fitted well with the winter festival".

Dr Williams was speaking to Radio Five presenter Simon Mayo when another of his guests, Ricky Gervais, star of The Office, challenged him about the intellectual credentials of his faith.

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Despite this apparent debunking, Dr Williams' views are in fact strictly in line with orthodox Christian teaching, as he is sticking exactly to what The Bible says.

The Archbishop was also keen to deny that believing in God was equivalent to believing in Santa Claus or the tooth fairy.

He said: "The thing is, belief in Santa does not generate a moral code, it does not generate art, it does not generate imagination. "Belief in God is a bit bigger than that."

Last night Dr Williams' comments appeared to be at odds with one of his own advisors, the Rev John Jennings, a Church of England clergyman.

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He said: "There seems little doubt that Jesus was born in a stable. The Bible says "outside the house", and this was probably because the house was full.

"If it was a stable, there could have been animals at the birth of Jesus.

"The Wise Men were ... careful, calculating, educated men who think that they begin to discern God's imminent arrival and who blunder their way across the region until they find what they think they've been seeking. These are the really important bits of the story."

At the end of the conversation, Gervais said: "That was fantastic - have I blown my image - taking life seriously?"

Mayo joked: "Do you think he is a secret Christian under the atheist facade?" Dr Williams joked: "I'll give him time."

During the show Gervais also asked: "What's the Archbishop plugging?", to which Mayo responded, "I think he is plugging Christmas."

Gervais said: "Of course, I love Christmas, I say 'go for it'. Brilliant."