What does the phrase 'In the year of our lord' mean?

[blaster1341]

I often hear this said in films but what does it mean

"it was the year of our lord"The date often changes though?

[dzug2]

It's just a long winded way of saying 'AD'

So this year is the year of our lord 2012 or 2012AD

[naomi24]

Anno Domini - it signifies dates after the birth of Jesus Christ.

[rojash]

It's a translation of the Latin "Anno Domini" (AD) meaning any time after the (notional) birth of Christ.

[heretic666]

The reason for using it was to avoid the usage of the year of the reign of the current or previous monarch which some peasants used to tell the year.As I can never remember which Edward or Henry, A.D. makes sense.