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THEOLOGY
ORTHODOXYTODAY

CHRISTMASMESSAGEOFPATRIARCH
KIRILLOFMOSCOWANDALLRUSSIA

HOMILIESANDSPIRITUAL
INSTRUCTION
SAINTS.ASCETIESOFPIETY.

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CHURCHHOLYDAYS
CHURCHESANDMONASTERIES

A L SO H ERE YOU
CAN READ
HomilyOnTheBirthOfChrist
NativityEncyclicalsFromOur
OrthodoxPrimates

CHURCHHISTORY

GreetingsfromBishopTikhonand
BrothersonthefeastoftheNativity

COMINGTOORTHODOXY

Russiainwinter

SRETENSKYMONASTERY

SundaybeforeChristmas
RememberingourAncestors

EDUCATION
ORTHODOXYAROUNDTHEWORLD

St.GregoryPalamasonChrist's
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SUFFERINGCHURCH
CHURCHANDSTATE

HolyHierarchFlannanofKillaloe

PHOTOGALLERIES
SaintDaniiltheHermit
PreparingtoAppearwithChristin
Glory:HomilyfortheSundayofthe
HolyForefathersintheOrthodox
Church
TheTableisLaden:AHomilyon
theSundayoftheHolyForefathers

INTERVIEWS
MEDIAMONITORING

DoingChristmas,GeorgianStyle

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ChristmasGreetingsofHis
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EminenceMetropolitanHilarionto
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InthiswasmanifestedtheloveofGodtowardus,
becausethatGodsenthisonlybegottenSonintotheworld,
thatwemightlivethroughhim.
(1Jn4:9)

PL EA SE, V ISIT
T HESE WEB SIT ES

YourEminencesthearchpastors,esteemedfathers,
allhonourablemonksandnuns,dearbrothersandsisters!

Orthodox
42.

ItiswithaheartoverflowingwithjoyintheSonofGodwhohascomein
the flesh that I address all of you and congratulate you on the radiant
and lifebearing feast of the Nativity of our Lord and God and Saviour
JesusChrist.
GlorytoGodinthehighest,andonearthpeace,goodwilltowardmen
(Lk 2:14). In glorifying from year to year the ineffable benevolence
showntousbytheSaviour,we,asoncetheshepherdsofBethlehemwho
heard from the angel the great joy, which shall be to all people (Lk
2:10),hasten with spiritual eyes to see the Messiah, whose coming was
foretold by the glorious prophets and awaited by a great multitude of
menandwomen.
Thus,thedesire,astheprophetHaggaiputsit,ofallnations(Hag2:7)
made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a
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servant,andwasmadeinthelikenessofmen(Phil2:7).TheLordofthe
universeselectsforhimselfnotanimperialpalace,notadwellingofthe
rulers of this world, not a mansion of the rich and highly placed. No
roomisevenfoundforhimataninn.TheSonofGodisborninacave
forcattle,whilehiscradleisamangerforthefeedingofanimals.
What, then, is poorer than the cave and humbler than the swaddling
clothesinwhichtherichnessoftheGodhead has shone forth? Having
chosenfortheMysteryofoursalvationutmostpoverty(Hypakoeforthe
feast), Christ consciously rejects the values which are considered
important in our world: power, wealth, fame, noble birth and social
status.Heofferstous another law of life, the lawof humility and love,
whichvanquishesprideandenmity.Itisbythislawthathumanfrailty,
united with the grace of God, becomes the force which cannot be
countered by those who possess power and might in this world. The
powerofGodmanifestsitselfnotinearthlymajestyandworldlycomfort,
butinsimplicityandhumilityofheart.
As St. Seraphim of Sarov puts it, the Lord seeks out a heart that is
overflowingwithloveofGodandneighbour.Thisisthealtaruponwhich
he loves to ascendSon, give me thine heart, he says, and the rest I
shall give to you, for the kingdom of God can be contained within the
humanheart(ConversationontheGoaloftheChristianLife).TheLord
is not disdainful of the poor and homeless, he does not despise those
whohavelittlemoneyandunglamorousjobs,andevenmoresohedoes
not hold in contempt those who are physically disabled or seriously ill.
None of these things in themselves put a distance between the human
personandGod,andthereforeshouldnotleadoneintobeingdowncast
orbecomeacausefordestructivedespair.TheSaviourseeksusout.My
son,mydaughter,givemethineheart,heexhortsus(Prov23:26).
The wondrous feast of the Nativity reminds us of the need to follow
unceasinglyChristwhohascomesothatwemighthavelife,andthatwe
mighthaveitmoreabundantly(Jn10:10),andwhoistheonetruepath
andunchangingtruthandgenuinelife(cf.Jn14:6).Andmaywenotbe
afraidofthedifficultiesthatweinevitablyencounter,andmaynoneofus
bebrokenbythetrialsthatbefallourlot,forGodiswithus!Godiswith
us,andfromourlifefeardisappears.Godiswithus,andwefindpeace
ofsoulandjoy.Godiswithus,andwithsteadfasthopeinhimweshall
accomplishourearthlyjourney.
InfollowingChrist,thehumanpersongoesagainsttheelementsofthis
world. He does not submit to the temptations he encounters, and he
determinedly tramples down the barriers of sin that stand in his way.
Indeed,itissinthatdrawsusawayfromGodandgenuinelyrendersour
livesharsh.Itissinthat,ineclipsingthelightoftheDivinelove,plunges
usintomanyandvariedafflictionsandhardensourhearttowardsother
people.Sin, though, is vanquished only by the grace of the Holy Spirit,
which is given to us through the Church. The power of God which we
receivetransformsourinnerworldandhelpsusinaccordancewiththe
Lords will to change the outer world. And thus those who have in one
wayoranotherhavefallenawayfromChurchunitylose,likeatreethat
hasdriedup,theabilitytooffertrulygoodfruits.
I would like today to say a special word to the people of Ukraine. The
fratricidalconflictwhichhasariseninthelandofUkraineshouldnever
divide the Churchs children by sowing enmity within peoples hearts.
The true Christian cannot hate his neighbours or those afar. Ye have
heard,theLordsaystothosewhohearhim,thatithathbeensaid,
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Thoushaltlovethyneighbour,andhatethineenemy.ButIsayuntoyou,
Loveyourenemies,blessthemthatcurseyou,dogoodtothemthathate
you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you
That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he
makethhissuntoriseontheevilandonthegood,andsendethrainon
thejustandontheunjust(Mt5:4345).MaythesewordsoftheSaviour
become a guiding force in our lives and may evil and hatred towards
othersneverfindaplaceinourhearts.
I call upon all the children of the multinational Russian Orthodox
Church to pray fervently for the speedy cessation of hostilities in
Ukraine,forthehealingofwoundsbothphysicalandspiritualthatwar
hascausedpeople.Letusinchurchandathomesincerelybeseechthisof
GodletusprayalsoforthoseChristianswholivefarfromourlandsand
whoaresufferingasaresultofarmedconflicts.
OnthislightbearingnightoftheNativityandthefollowingholydayslet
us praise and exalt our Saviour and Lord who, in his great love for
humanity,deignedtocomeintotheworld.LikethebiblicalMagi,letus
offer to the divine Infant Christ our gifts: instead of gold our sincere
loveinsteadoffrankincenseourardentprayerinsteadofmyrrha
kindandcaringdispositiontowardsourneighboursandthoseafar.
OncemoreIcongratulateyouall,mybeloved,ontheradiantfeastofthe
Nativity, and on the forthcoming New Year I prayerfully wish you the
abundant mercies and compassion of the greatly compassionate Lord
Jesus.Amen.
+KIRILL
PATRIARCHOFMOSCOWANDALLRUS
Moscow
TheNativityofChrist
2015
DECRCommunicationService
06/01/2016

20160107
16:49

20160106
18:19

kenethkipruto:
Veryeducative,,

Victor:
Beautiful!

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