Christmas Message 2024 from His Holiness Patriarch Mor Ignatius Aphrem II
"In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him" (1 John 4: 9)
This Message is shared from the Facebook Page of His Holiness Patriarch Mor Ignatius Aphrem II.
You can find below the Christmas Message 2024 addressed by His Holiness Patriarch Mor Ignatius Aphrem II, Patriarch of Antioch and All the East and Supreme Head of the Universal Syriac Orthodox Church, and Honorary President of the Middle East Council of Churches (MECC), under the title “In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him” (1 John 4: 9).
Our beloved Children in Christ,
May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
“In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him.” (1 John 4: 9)
This year, the star of the Nativity shines once again over our Orient – a region burdened by suffering, weary from wars, and overwhelmed by uncertainty and fear of the unknown. Yet it shines brightly, proclaiming the miraculous birth of our Lord Jesus Christ, a birth that took place over two thousand years ago as a message of salvation for all humanity. The birth of our Lord Jesus reveals the boundless mercy and infinite love of God the Father, renewing within us the reason for hope (1 Peter 3:15). It radiates light to the farthest reaches of the earth, dispelling the darkness of fear and filling the hearts of those who have suffered torment, injustice, and oppression with a longing for a new and better life. This divine incarnation is a pathway of freedom for all who reject bondage, a voice of truth for the oppressed, and a beacon of life for those who seek it. It heralds the arrival of the Lord of Life, Jesus Christ, who proclaimed: "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me" (John 14: 6).
The birth of Christ is an invitation to embrace a better way of living, one founded on peace and crowned with joy, joy that cannot be taken away from us. This joy announced by the angels to the shepherds on that holy night was promised to us by our Lord who said: “I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly” (John 10: 10). In the face of the fears and challenges that surround us, whether in the East, where we struggle to maintain our very existence, or in the West, where we encounter trials that test our faith, God the Father’s endless mercy offers humanity once again the cure for life: His incarnate Word, the child Jesus Christ.
The birth of our Lord Jesus Christ is a sign of our spiritual rebirth and the starting point for a renewed life, a life offered to us through the Holy Spirit as we place our faith in God’s only Son, our Savior. This new birth calls us, as believers, to strengthen our faith and to bear witness to His saving work in our lives. Amid the changes and trials, we face, let us remain firm in our hope, seek peace, and rejoice in the good news of salvation. Let us entrust our lives entirely to the Lord, who alone can lift the burdens of fear from our hearts, as St. Peter teaches: “Cast all your care upon Him, for He cares for you” (1 Peter 5:7).
Dearly beloved,
The Feast of the Nativity is a time to proclaim the life we live in Christ and to declare the Father’s love for us through His Son, Immanuel “God with us.” Let us dedicate ourselves and our world to Him, so that wars may cease, violence may end, and injustice may disappear. Let us pray for a world where killing is abolished, and every person lives in peace and love with their neighbor. With the hope that the Nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Prince of peace, brings, we call upon all countries, governments and international organizations to work hard to establish a lasting peace throughout the world, especially in our tormented Orient. We urge them to make all efforts to guarantee the rights of all the components of this Orient where injustice and suffering prevailed. This was experienced in Iraq, Lebanon, Palestine and our beloved Syria which is currently going through a new sensitive stage of its history where an uncertain future awaits Christians who face existential challenges.
We extend to all of you our blessings on the occasion of the Nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ and the beginning of the new year 2025, asking the Prince of Peace to spread His peace over the world, release the afflicted and oppressed, heal the sick and suffering, comfort the sorrowful and broken-hearted, and have mercy on the souls of the faithful departed, through the intercession of the Virgin Mary, the Mother of God, St. Peter the Head of the Apostles, and all martyrs and saints. Amen. Happy New Year.
This Message was published on the Facebook Page of His Holiness Patriarch Mor Ignatius Aphrem II.