January 5, 2014
Nativity Epistle of His Eminence Hilarion, Metropolitan of Eastern
America & New York, First Hierarch of the Russian Church Abroad
Most Reverend fellow archpastors, most honorable father-concelebrants,
God-loving monastics, dear brothers and sisters!
Motivated by the best thoughts and deepest feelings of brotherly
love and spiritual joy, I greet the faithful children of the Russian
Church Abroad, scattered worldwide as God’s wheat, with the
celebration of the Nativity of Christ. I send my sincere wishes from
remote Australia that the coming new 2014th year bring rich
spiritual fruit for each of us individually and for the entire
Church!
In their writings, the Holy Fathers of the Church portray the Feast
of the Nativity as great, universal, and joyful; the beginning and
basis for all other feasts. It is no wonder the Holy Church sings:
"Christ is born, glory Him; Christ cometh from the heavens, meet ye
Him; Sing to the Lord, all the earth…"
The Holy Church calls upon us to worthily celebrate the Nativity of
Christ. It was not that long ago that in many countries, Christians
laid aside worldly and earthly cares. Government offices shut down,
trade ceased and everyone hurried to God’s churches for the festal
services, during which all prayed and partook of the Holy Mysteries
of Christ. After the services, many engaged in works of piety,
visiting hospitals and prisons, providing substantial aid to the
poor. Philanthropic assistance to the poor and orphaned was
inherently characteristic of our ancestors. Not a feast went by
without being accompanied by attention to those "that labor and are
heavy laden" (Matthew 11:28).
With the simplicity of the shepherds, let us go to the cave in
Bethlehem to worship the living God, Who became a living Man. In
other words, let us go to church, bringing the Infant Christ the
gift of warm tears of compunction, a heart enlivened with delight
and boundless devotion, and to our neighbors and the needy ‒
benefaction and love.
It is time for us, beloved, to bless ourselves with the Cross of
Christ ‒ the cross of self-sacrifice and love in the spirit of light
filled Christian understanding. It is time for us to improve in all
aspects of our lives. Let us contemplate this during these holy
days, referred to as "Christmastide," and make a firm decision to
become better, closer to God and to each other.
I take this opportunity with great pleasure to announce the upcoming
XIII All-Diasporan Youth Conference to be held in San Francisco from
June 27 to July 4 this year. This forum will be devoted to
missionary work in the field of philanthropy and will coincide with
the 20th anniversary of the glorification of St. John (Maximovitch)
the Wonderworker by the Russian Church Abroad. This great hierarch
of the Russian Diaspora exemplified a life of prayer, a life active
in selfless good deeds. On behalf of the Synod of Bishops and
Archbishop Kyrill, ruling bishop of the Western American Diocese, I
extend a heartfelt invitation to our clergy and representatives of
our youth to this gathering. I hope that this conference, called "In
the Footsteps of St. John," will spiritually and intellectually
enrich all of its participants. Concurrent with the Youth
Conference, a Council of Bishops will be held to discuss the
pressing issues of internal Church life and the external ministry of
our beloved Church. This will also give our archpastors the
opportunity to participate in important discussions with our young
people. May these general Church gatherings, for which we
prayerfully prepare, vouchsafe us the mercy and blessings from God:
inexhaustible heroism, courage, vigilance of spirit, a selfless,
captivating, and inspiring faith, and other gifts of grace, so
necessary in serving the Church, in serving God and people in our
complex world.
May the coming New Year, beloved archpastors, pastors, brothers and
sisters, be one of Christian renewal of our hearts – a year of
spiritual sobriety and ennoblement of our entire life! Let us become
genuinely and deeply aware of the necessity of spiritual struggle,
dictated by the spirit of life, and concern ourselves with the
conscientious fulfillment of all our Christian duties: whether they
are personal, family, or employment responsibilities, or our duty as
Orthodox Christian members of the Church, i.e. performing generous
charitable works. May the feast be for us a time of prayer, the
strengthening of our internal energies, the refreshment of our souls
with Christian ideals, feelings, and activities!
With love in the Newborn Christ and asking your holy prayers,
+HILARION
Metropolitan of New York & Eastern America
First Hierarch of the Russian Church Abroad
Nativity of Christ
2013/2014
