Heads of Christian Churches Send Christmas Greetings to Ukrainians

“I extend my sincerest greetings to you on the nativity of our Lord, God and Savior Jesus Christ. For the believing heart Christmas night is just as solemn and unforgettable as it was two thousand years ago.

Last year was a jubilee for the Ukrainian Orthodox Church: we celebrated the twentieth anniversary of the historic Kharkiv Council of Bishops and our ministry at the Kyivan Throne. Graciously praising God with prayers for His blessings, we are pleased by the children of the Church of Christ, who are saved while in the house of God, and grieve for our brothers who remain outside the ecclesiastical communion.

The goodness of God marked the past year by visits of great Orthodox relics to Ukrainian land. The eparchies of our church were reverently visited by the Blessed Virgin Mary Shroud of the Holy City of Jerusalem and the head of the glorious Greatmartyr and Healer Panteleimon, which arrived for the opening in Kyiv of St. Panteleimon’s Monastery, which is on the Holy Mount Athos,” Metropolitan UPC (MP) Volodymyr (Sabodan) said in a Christmas greeting.

“On this festive day I cordially wish you, dear brothers and sisters, and all Christians of Ukraine, a merry Christmas and happy New Year! I greet the President of Ukraine Viktor Yanukovych, the Parliament, the Government and the Armed Forces of Ukraine. And I greet on this occasion all Ukrainians worldwide: in America and Canada, Latin America and Australia, Europe and Asia.

Christmas calls us to do works of mercy and love. We must hurry to the sick and the lonely, and to all who need our help.

Giving thanks to God for His blessings and mercy in the past year, we carefully ask that He keep us in unity and unanimity, give our Ukrainian state power and wisdom to overcome all difficulties, to keep us in brotherly love, to send abundant fruits of the earth and gave Ukraine His heavenly blessing.

May the God of peace and love be with all of us!” Patriarch Filaret (Denysenko) of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church-Kyivan Patriarchate said in his Christmas message.

Patriarch Sviatoslav (Shevchuk) of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church in his greeting said that this year Christmas falls on the year of faith and the 1025th anniversary of the baptism of Rus-Ukraine:

“This Christmas, we celebrate in the year that the Church of Christ has proclaimed the Year of Faith, which is also the 1025th anniversary of the Baptism of Rus-Ukraine, which we will celebrate together will a church-wide pilgrimage to the banks of the Dnipro River near the Patriarchal Cathedral in Kyiv on August 18, 2013. The purpose of our shared journey is to restore in the Ukrainian people the gift of the Christian faith, which for centuries was for us strength and wisdom, which helped us not only to reach the highest cultural and human achievements that formed the basis of Christian civilization in Eastern Europe, but also ensured that we did not lose from sight the only Sun of Truth – Christ the Lord, before whom grow dark both heavenly bodies and earthly rulers, who have not learned to worship him.

Dearly beloved in Christ! May the newborn Savior approach each of you and visit every home with his heavenly light!

Let the unearthly tenderness of God move and warm the hearts of us all: those at home and those in transit, those who are far from their native land, and those who seek in it prosperity, peace and harmony for their family. Let the heavenly joy that the Lord reveals where human power and authority is powerless give us faith and hope for a better fate for our Ukraine.

Let Christmas carols be for us today, as ever, a powerful force, through which we will share our faith, renew our society and unite with the universe that celebrates today its Creator and Lord.

In his greeting Archbishop Mieczyslaw Mokrzycki, Metropolitan of Lviv of the Roman Catholic Church, also recalls the Jubilee and encourages believers to carry love and hope

“In the Year of Faith and the 600th anniversary of the transfer of the capital of our Metropolitanate from Halych to Lviv, I wish you to be an instrument of God's peace, which God endowed humanity, when he was born in Bethlehem. Holding in the hands of oblates, a symbol of innocence, purity and unity, we will build a desire to carry love to where there is hatred; hope to where there is despair; light to where there is darkness; joy to where there is sadness.

In blessing every home and family, I invite all of you to take part in the ceremonial end to the Jubilee Year, the culmination of which will be the Jubilee of Families, combined with the renewal of the marital oath.”

The leadership of the Evangelical Baptist Union of Ukraine thanked all those who “last year participated in spiritual collaboration through donations, work, and prayer.”

“May the New Year 2013, announced as the year of the mission, be blessed for your spiritual progress in the name of Him who by faith settled in our poor hearts!” they wished the faithful.

The hierarchy of churches in the diaspora also sent Christmas greetings to Ukrainians.