His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia congratulates heads of Local Orthodox Churches with the Nativity of Christ

His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and All Russia sent the following greeting with the Nativity of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ to His Holiness Patriarch Bartholomew of Constantinople, His Beatitude Pope and Patriarch Theodore II of Alexandria, His Beatitude Patriarch John X of Antioch, His Beatitude Patriarch Theophilos III of Jerusalem, His Holiness and Beatitude Catholics Patriarch Iliya II of All Georgia, His Holiness Patriarch Irenej of Serbia, His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel of Romania, His Holiness Patriarch Neofit of Bulgaria, His Beatitude Archbishop Chrysostomos II of Cyprus, His Beatitude Archbishop Hieronymus II of Athens and All Greece, His Beatitude Archbishop Anastasios of Tirana and All Albania, His Beatitude Metropolitan Sava of Warsaw and All Poland, His Beatitude Metropolitan Rostislav of the Czech Lands and Slovakia, and His Beatitude Metropolitan Tikhon of All America and Canada.

I wholeheartedly greet you with the great and salutary feast of the Nativity of Christ.

Every year on these holy days we ‘rejoice with exceeding great joy’(Mt 2:10) and, being amazed with the mystery of Incarnation, venerate the Infant Christ born of the Holy Virgin in Bethlehem.

Being inspired by the words of the angelic hymn, ‘Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace’ (Lk 2:14) we lift up fervent prayers for all ‘afar off, and them that are nigh’ (Eph 2:17), for the end of any enmity, multiplication of love and triumph of the just and lasting peace.

May the Lord and Saviour strengthen you and the flock entrusted to your care in the service to God and ministry to the Church, grant you his generous help in carrying your primatial cross and assist you in all your labours done for the good of Holy Orthodoxy.

With love in Christ who has been born,

+ KIRILL

Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia