January 5, 2014
Nativity Epistle of His Holiness Kyrill, Patriarch of Moscow & All Russia to the Archpastors, Pastors, Monastics and All the Faithful Children of the Russian Orthodox Church

Your Eminences the archpastors, honorable presbyters and deans,
God-loving monks and nuns, dear brothers and sisters!

Today our churches are filled with people who have come to praise the Newborn Infant –Christ the Savior and His Most Pure Mother – the Virgin Mary.

The Nativity of Christ was the central event of human history. Man has always searched for God: but God revealed Himself fully in His Only-Begotten Son alone. In the coming of the Son of God – and the Son of Man – to the world found that God is Love, and not only Supreme Power; God is Mercy, not only One Who rewards; God is the source of life and joy, and not only a Dread Judge; God is the Holy Trinity, whose inner law is also love, and not just a singular Master of the world.

 Today we celebrate the event that changed the entire direction of human history. The Lord descended to the uttermost depths of human life, became one of us, took upon Himself the entire burden of our sins, of human infirmity and weakness, and brought them to Golgotha to lift this unbearable load from man’s shoulders. From now on, God resides not in the unapproachable heavens, but here with us and among us. At every Divine Liturgy we utter the words: "Christ is in our midst!" and the answer: "He is and ever shall be!" This bears true witness to the presence of the very Incarnate God Himself –Christ the Savior – among His faithful. Regularly partaking of His Divine Body and Blood, making every effort to follow His commandments, we enter into true communion with Him, with our Savior, and receive absolution of sins.

Faithful and loyal disciples of Christ are called to witness the coming of Kingdom of God personified by Jesus in their earthly life. We have been blessed with the great honor of doing in this world as our Teacher and Lord did, being firm in the faith of Christ when facing sin and evil, not ceasing to do good deeds, not becoming despondent in our daily struggles to transfigure our sinful nature into a new and grace-filled man.

Jesus Christ set the impeccable, absolute criterion of our unfeigned relationship with God: our neighbor. Bearing other’ infirmities, sharing their pain and sorrow, having compassion toward the misfortunate and the destitute, we fulfill the law of Christ (Galatians 6:2) and become like the Savior, Who bore our griefs and carried our sorrows (Isaiah 53:4).

On this joyful and radiant day of Christ’s Nativity, when every creature hurries to the cradle of the Divine Infant, we must not forget others. The great grace that is bestowed upon us today in churches must not be withheld from those living outside the Church, according to human tradition, according to the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ (Colossians 2:8). If we do not go to meet them halfway, then these Glad Tidings may never reach them; if we do not open our hearts to share the joy that fills us, then it may never reach those who do not have it, but are ready to accept it.

Through the Incarnation of the Son of God, human nature was lifted up to unfathomable heights. Not only was each and every one of us created "in the image and likeness of God," but through Christ is now also adopted by God: no longer are we "strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God" (Ephesians 2:19). This intimacy and daring toward God is conveyed in the our Lord’s Prayer, wherein we call upon the Creator as our own Heavenly Father.

Every human life is priceless, for it was bought with the Incarnation, Life, Death, and Resurrection of God’s Only-Begotten Son. All this is yet another reason for us to approach every human being with reverence and attentiveness, despite any differences there may be between us. The Holy Hierarch Philaret (Drozdov) of Moscow reflected that, "Love is actively partaking in the wellbeing of another." In these joyous days of the Nativity, I would like to call everyone first and foremost to this kind of active love or, as St. Paul wrote, "Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another; not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord!" (Romans 12:10-11, Hebrews 13:16).

I congratulate you wholeheartedly on the great holiday of the Nativity. May the God of love and peace (II Corinthians 13:11) grant peace and welfare to our people and every one of us in New Year.

+KYRILL
Patriarch of Moscow & All Russia

Nativity of Christ
2013/2014