His Beatitude Pope and Patriarch Theodoros II Issued the Christmas Message 2021

This message is also available in Arabic.

Below you can find the Christmas message 2021 issued by His Beatitude Theodoros II, Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa.

THEODOROS II

BY THE GRACE OF GOD POPE AND PATRIARCH

OF ALEXANDRIA AND ALL AFRICA

TO THE FULNESS

OF THE APOSTOLIC AND PATRIARCHAL THRONE OF ALEXANDRIA

GRACE AND MERCY AND PEACE

FROM OUR LORD AND GOD AND SAVIOUR JESUS CHRIST

BORN IN BETHLEHEM

“Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace goodwill to all men”

My beloved and blessed children,

Christ is born!

As it does every year, so this year too the Nativity comes to assure us that the salvation of the world is found in the rebirth of our souls, the soul of each person.

Social life and happiness does not exist in the systems enforced by the powers on earth, neither are they the things that will give justice to people who are wronged and marginalized. Because now it is proven that it is not logical for man to serve the system, but for the system to serve man. This is why the feast of the Nativity comes to awaken us, so that we can see what we have done for our needy fellow human beings, or what it is that we need to do, because according to Schiller “we were born for something better”.

But, when was Christ born? Scripture tells us it was when the fullness of time had come. When did He come? When hatred and evil were the main characteristic features of the heart of mankind. When decay, crime and fratricide had dominated the world. When people lived far from the light of truth and walked in the darkness of sin. That is when Christ came, when the thirst for redemption had reached a deadlock and the expectation of the nations for the coming of the Saviour no longer had reached its limits. What did the coming of Christ bring us? It brought us the great gift of peace and equality between people. It filled our hearts with love and hope!

God came down from heaven to earth and transformed the earth into heaven! He preached the truth. He taught us forgiveness. He showed us His infinite love and revealed to us our forgotten homeland, heavenly Jerusalem.

And what do we do? Back then we accepted His message and agreed, however, now we disagree. We acknowledged Him then, yet now we doubt Him.

People today, intoxicated by various catchphrases foreign to Orthodoxy, consider the presence of God as an unbearable yoke. Love is banished and forgiveness is rare. Everyone agrees that hostilities should cease yet everyone is involved with military armament.

Nations, countries, communities suffer terribly from the selfishness of modern man, whose aim is to dominate the weak and to deprive them of their freedom and their daily bread.

Africa, one of the most beautiful and blessed areas of the world, yet at the same time the most affected by hunger and poverty, has been trying for centuries now to find its bearings. However, huge geopolitical interests afflict our African brothers and sisters and keep them prisoners of their needs..

Through its missionary efforts our Patriarchate toils to relieve in practice the pain of thousands of people throughout Africa and tries without complaint night and day that all our fellow human beings suffering from the problems of life might see “the face of God” ,

We do not fail, together with the bread and water given to our poor brothers and sisters, to convey to them the message of peace which on that Holy night was lauded by the Angels and which was spread through His every step by the Divine Redeemer.

I raise my hands and kneel before the humble manger of the newborn Divine Child this year again, and with a cry of despair I plead that He will enlighten the powers of earth, that the peace of Christ may prevail again and that once and for all the sun of righteousness may rise on the entire planet.

A happy and blessed Feast of the Nativity my children!

†THEODOROS II

Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa

In the Great City of Alexandria

Feast of the Nativity 2021

This message was originally published on the Facebook page of His Eminence Bishop Nicolas Antoniou, Mitropolis of Ermoupoleos (Tanta) Egypt. Please click here to read the full text and listen to the interview.