The "Flight to Egypt" icon of the famous Lviv icon painter and art critic Ostap Lozynskyi, who passed away at the beginning of 2022, has become symbolic in the passing year. A Family with a newly born Child flee to a foreign land to escape the aggression of a mad tyrant. Hundreds of thousands of Ukrainian families were forced to abandon their homes this year. We have heard of mothers giving birth to their children in shelters under missile strikes. How many mothers wept over their children, killed by a tyrant, as Rachel once did? And even this dachshund is symbolic as there was so much information about rescued pets whose owners refused to leave them behind during the evacuation, thus showing their humanity and love for their neighbor.
Just as we know from the Bible that the tyrant perished, and Mary, Joseph, and baby Jesus returned to Judea, today, we believe that the enemy will lose. Our defenders will liberate all our territories, and the satanic empire will crumble and fall apart. Our displaced people will return and rebuild their lives, which we would very much like to happen next year.
Jesus is born anew, giving us hope that the kingdom of darkness will be destroyed, that all who mourned will be comforted, and that those who gave their lives for their neighbors will be saved.
We wish all our authors, readers, and donors that the Christmas Star brings us the best news of peace and tranquility. So that the hope for the victory of good over evil is strengthened in the hearts of all Ukrainians and people worldwide. May our defenders and everyone working towards victory over the modern Herods and Judas strengthen their spirits and remain in good health!
Let us rejoice and be merry, for God is with us!
Christ is born! Glorify Him!