The Nativity of our Lord and God Jesus Christ.

Christmas Greeting

of Bishop of Kashira Iov

Administrator of the Patriarchal Parishes in Canada

Christ is born! Let us glorify Him! – Христос Раждается! Славим Его!

Dear Fathers, Brothers and Sisters in the Lord!

I heartily congratulate you on the Nativity of our Lord and God Jesus Christ!

Today the whole Christian World praises the Lord, thanks Him and rejoices in His birth! The entire creation rejoices in honor of our Savior.

The Holy Church invites us to reverent chanting of the Divine Incarnation with the beautiful poetic liturgical words: “Christ is born, glorify Him: Christ is from heaven, meet Him: Christ is on Earth, be ye elevated: sing unto the Lord, all the Earth; and ye nations, praise Him with joy; for He has been glorified.” (Irmos of the 1st Song of the 1st Canon of the Nativity of Christ).

God has come to us and “did not leave us as orphans!” He chose to be born in a manger as the Christ Child and save us all! Christ the Messiah loved each of us “the most”. Lying in the manger, the Almighty Creator of the world has taken upon Himself all the sorrows of the world, all of our suffering and tears. Believers have nothing to fear. God did not give us up to the power of evil. Our resurrection to eternal life begins from the manger in Bethlehem. How happy we should be on knowing it!

This holiday is given to us in order that each year we may more and more clearly understand the mystery of the birth of the Lord. God came to earth not for the “weekend”, not for the “Christmas break”. The holiday is not only in setting up the Christmas tree and in bright Christmas decorations. Christmas is celebrated not only for singing Christmas carols and observing folk customs but to encourage us to change our mind, our soul and our being.

Let us, Brother and Sisters, enter the cave of Bethlehem with reverence, with faith, with love and worship the newborn Christ! During these holy days let us give Christ a place in our lives, let us continue to pray for the persecuted Orthodox Christians in the troubled Ukraine and around the world, to show heartfelt mercy to all the innocent victims of the civil war in the lands of historical Kievan Russ. In the New Year may the Lord keep all of us from evil and grant all that is necessary for life on earth and the salvation of souls! 

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR!

With prayerful wishes for God’s help in the New Year and with love in the Christ-Child,

+Iov (Job), Bishop of Kashira, Administrator of the Patriarchal Parishes

Feast of the Nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ * 2014/2015 * Edmonton