Heads of Christian Churches Extend Christmas Greetings to Ukrainians

“‘Christ is born: Glorify Him! Christ from Heaven: Receive Him!’ today the Holy Church triumphantly calls on us to open our hearts to Christ, so that God will enter our lives and fill it with content, peace, and joy...

“The bright and joyful celebration of Christmas reminds us that we, Christians, are called to, radiating with love, warm the world, at least the little part where the Lord has put us. Take a look around, pay attention to those who in their distress Christ sends to us today. And let everyone in their place honestly and responsibly, in the Christian way, do what they are called on to do, so that people may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father (Matt. 5:16).

 “We live in a time about which the Savior said: because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold (Matt. 24:12). Like that Christmas night, 2013 years ago, the news of the birth of the King and God divided humankind, like today: some, called by the Angels and the Star of Bethlehem, bow physically and spiritually, sing praise to Our Lord and Savior and bring him gifts, and others, out of ignorance and indifference, do not let Him into their homes, and still others bear malice and seek his death. And today, as then, some open their hearts to Christ, and He shows them His glory and gives grace, others do not want to know Him, but there are others who through their sins expel Christ from their lives,” reads the Christmas greeting by Metropolitan Volodymyr (Slobodan) of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church-Moscow Patriarchate.

“Every year we celebrate Christmas – the greatest Christian holiday of all, because the Son of God, as the Creator of the world, humbled Himself and became man. What does this mean? This means that the grand, incomprehensible and indescribable God not only approached man, but humbled Himself to infinity, united with human nature...

“Humanity has made ​​great strides in science and technology – in all that relates to wealth. But how pitiful has spiritual life become! It does not even require proof, because we see a lack of spirituality at every turn, every day, and everywhere. And it is because Christians have forgotten why the Son of God was born and became man. Everything spiritual has for us Christians become secondary, and people have made material values the foundation of their lives and work. Do not be surprised that children do not respect their fathers and mothers are left to their fate of their children, rulers gain power not to serve the people, but their own interests. Let us not have the question arise of why we, Ukrainians, are so fragmented. Love, truth, peace, and sacrifice unite us, while sin and all manner of evils only divide people.

“Brothers and sisters! Let us remember why the Son of God was born of the Virgin Mary in the Bethlehem cave! On the great feast of the Nativity of Christ, I warmly greet the whole Ukrainian flock of the Kyivan Patriarchate, our brothers and sisters of the Moscow Patriarchate, all the Christians of Ukraine, and Ukrainians in America and Canada, Europe and Australia and around the world. I wish the President of Ukraine Viktor Yanukovych, the government, parliament, the Ukrainian Armed Forces, and the Ukrainian people a merry Christmas,” Patriarch Filaret (Denysenko) of the UOC-KPsaid in his message.

“Today the Ukrainian society once again shows that it strives to build its future on the foundation of the Christian faith. The newborn Savior is the fulfillment of the hopes of all humanity for the coming of God's kingdom – the kingdom of justice, peace, and goodness. The birth of the Eternal King of peace was preached by an angel, when the angel said to the shepherds: ‘Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.’ (Lk 2:10-11). How important is it to us in this historic moment, the word of the Evangelist, to feel that Christ is the source of our joy, and stop having fear! In the Nativity of Christ let our anxiety become hope, let confusion and uncertainty be transferred to the road to the Nativity. On this Christmas Day, when, according to the Apostle Paul, the power of God manifested in human weakness (2 Cf. Cor. 12:9), our sense of powerlessness turns into a realization of self-worth. By the action of the Holy Spirit the realization of self-worth becomes a power that will help us build a worthy society. That is why we today, glorifying the divine power of humanity, sing: ‘You, who raised our power, are Holy, Lord!," Patriarch Sviatoslav Shevchuk said in his greeting.

“Celebrating the coming of the Son of God on earth, thoughts are transported into the past, to the small town of Bethlehem, where the word of God took human form. External circumstances and extremely poor conditions, so to speak, were not favorable to the birth of the Messiah, the King of the Universe, but the sacrificial love of the Virgin her and Spouse to the Lord opened the coming of the Savior.

“As those who lived two thousand years ago and as we now seek peace, justice, and love, we use every moment of our lives as best we can. Let us open to God's presence among us in His Word, the Sacraments.

“In our families we give each other respect, patience, and care. In our work we are guided by responsibility, punctuality.

“In relation to the poor and elderly be polite, with generosity sanctify them with your attention and help. According to St. Francis of Assisi let us become mother, when we carry Him in our heart and body through divine love and pure and sincere conscience and when we give birth to Him through a holy manner of working, which should shine before others as an example,” Bishop Mieczyslaw Mokrzycki, chairman of the Conference of Roman Catholic Bishops Ukraine, said in his greeting.

“During these holidays we again remember the beautiful and mysterious night when the choirs of angels sang with great joy about the coming to earth of the Savior of the world – the Son of God, who was born an infant in the humblest place on the earth – in a manger ‘because there was no place for them in the inn.’

“This glorious event should inspire us to live holy lives, bring the word of God to the people with joy and love ‘For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders’ (Isaiah 9:6).”

Let the constant presence of Jesus Christ in your life fill you with special joy, hope, and a strong belief in the victory over evil and sin,” Senior Bishop of the Church of Christians of Evangelical Faith Ukraine Myhailo Panochko wished in his greeting.

The head of the Evangelical Baptist Union of Ukraine Vyacheslav Nesteruk wished a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year 2014.