Celebrating Christmas means to say a firm no to those who want to follow Herod nowadays, - Head of UGCC

Head and Father of UGCC His Beatitude Sviatoslav signified delivering a homily in the Patriarchal Cathedral of the Resurrection of Christ to the faithful on Monday 7, the Day of Nativity of Our Lord.

“Christmas greeting bears a big joy, a great feast and a great hope. Since Christmas annunciates a birth in a human’s flesh, an arrival of Our Lord and Savior, the birth of Jesus Christ in a poor manger in Bethlehem!”, with these words Head of UGCC addressed to laity at the beginning of his homily.

“Ask yourself: what I seek in Christmas? What guides me? What I want to perform, having found Messiah among us? Everybody needs to come up with his personal feedback. We look for peace, sheer joy which has no finish line, and a true love which gives life and hope. Be sure, we can find it all in a person of a newborn Savior!”, persuaded Head of Church.

He added: “We can say that celebrating Christmas means to say a firm “no” to those who want to follow Herod nowadays. Celebrate Christmas means to say “no” to violence, humiliation towards to a person committed by another one. That is why the Almighty reveals merit and honor of a man, who he had abided as His own icon, a temple, a favorite child. Now let us say a firm “no” to violence in our families: men toward women, parents toward their children; and, also those who think that violence, war and aggression can work something out in this world”.

According to him, a person of Herod indicates that the one who resorts to force is, actually a faint coward because he is in fear even before the weakest: a small child who he treats as a potential threat.

“Accept Our Savior as a King of Peace, the one who can truly become a source of peace, well-being and harmony in our families and society, among our Churches and all people worldwide. For this He comes – to restore unity between God and people, win war and hostility, hatred, I mean, everything what ruins God’s image in a person – an image of paradise happiness harmony what we all seek consciously or subconsciously throughout our life path”, the leader of Greek Catholics emphasized.

At the end of the Liturgy His Beatitude Sviatoslav together with Apostolic nuncio to Ukraine Archbishop Claudio Gugerotti congratulated all faithful, Ukrainians (in Ukraine and abroad) with Nativity of Our Lord and wished all happiness and peace finishing the service certainly with a carol “Nova radist’ stala” (“New Joy Descended”).

The UGCC Department for Information