▁six ▁cant at as ▁of ▁the ▁Christmas ▁Or atorio ▁were ▁to ▁be ▁performed ▁for ▁the ▁first ▁time . ▁The ▁six ▁services ▁of ▁the ▁Christmas ▁season ▁ 1 7 3 4 – 3 5 ▁where ▁the ▁or atorio ' s ▁cant at as ▁were ▁to ▁be ▁performed ▁had ▁these ▁G ospel ▁read ings : ▁ ▁Christmas ▁Day : ▁ ▁( theme : ▁N ativity , ▁Ann unci ation ▁to ▁the ▁she ph erd s ▁and ▁the ▁ang els ' ▁song ). ▁ ▁Second ▁Day ▁of ▁Christmas : ▁ ▁( theme : ▁Ad oration ▁of ▁the ▁She ph erd s ). ▁ ▁Third ▁Day ▁of ▁Christmas : ▁ ▁– ▁pro log ue ▁of ▁the ▁G ospel ▁of ▁John , ▁also ▁known ▁as ▁H ymn ▁to ▁the ▁Word . ▁ ▁New ▁Year ' s ▁Day : ▁ ▁( theme : ▁Circ um c ision ▁of ▁Jesus ) ▁ ▁Sunday ▁after ▁New ▁Year : ▁ ▁( theme : ▁the ▁Fl ight ▁into ▁Egypt ) ▁ ▁E pi ph any : ▁ ▁( theme : ▁W ise ▁Men ▁From ▁the ▁East ) ▁ ▁As ▁usual ▁in ▁most ▁of ▁his ▁or ator ios , ▁and ▁all ▁of ▁his ▁Pass ions , ▁the ▁Evangel ist ▁character ▁en unci ated ▁the ▁G ospel ▁text ▁in ▁s ung ▁rec it atives , ▁except ▁the ▁pass ages ▁in ▁direct ▁speech , ▁which ▁were ▁s ung ▁by ▁solo ists ▁or ▁ch oral ▁groups ▁representing ▁the ▁characters ▁who ▁spoke ▁these ▁texts ▁according ▁to ▁the ▁G ospel ▁narr ative . ▁The ▁G ospel ▁text ▁included ▁by