Glorious Christmas from the Middle East Council of Churches

On the day of Your birth, O Word incarnate

We are inspired by Your humility and love for humankind

You have agreed to live among us like any of us

And to bear more than any of us

The Holy Family accepted displacement from Bethlehem to Egypt

From where the Holy See of Jerusalem is to where the Holy See of St. Mark is

Then Your return to Jerusalem, where the teaching, crucifixion, resurrection, and salvation took place

On the day of Your birth, O Eternal Master

O Child of the Crib

We remember the homeless and martyr children who embrace the angels

The children of Gaza, the children of Cilicia and the children of Artsakh

And every child who lives the injustice of adults

We say to our church

the See of St. Mark of the Coptic Orthodox

And the See of the House of Cilicia of the Armenian Orthodox

And the See of Jerusalem of the Greek Orthodox

And the Union of Armenian Evangelicals

We wish you a Glorious Christmas

Despite all the violence, killing, displacement and destruction

Despite the painful memories

Because the Child of the Crib shook the thrones of tyrants and conquered the world

With Him we are on a date with the Resurrection