DECR chairman greets heads of non-Orthodox Churches with the Feast of the Nativity of Christ

Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate’s Department for External Church Relations, sent Christmas greetings to Pope Francis, Archbishop Justin Welby of Canterbury, Bishop Heinrich Bedford-Strohm, chairman of the EKD Council, and heads of other non-Orthodox Churches. The text of the message is given below.

I send you my heartfelt greetings on the great feast of the Nativity of Christ.

Today with hope we listen to the words of the greeting of the angels: ‘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). In our day as ‘iniquity abounds’ (Mt 24:12), when there appear with particular force in the world enmity, intolerance and falsehood, it is important to remember that the Saviour, who has come into the world, bestows grace to every human person who opens his heart to God.

Let us then proclaim with all our lives the truth of Christ by affirming it with our own example in service to our brothers and sisters, distant and far.

I wish you grace in abundance from the Divine Infant who has come into the world, health and God’s aid in your good deeds.

With love in Christ who has been born,

/+Hilarion/

Metropolitan of Volokolamsk

Chairman

Department for External Church Relations

Moscow Patriarchate