Christmas pastoral letter by the Bishops’ Synod of the UOGCC

Dear faithful brothers and sisters!

On this Blessed Night we unite in spirit with all of you who await with a living faith the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ from heaven.

Jesus was physically born of the Virgin Mary once at Bethlehem, but He desires to be born spiritually again and again in the hearts of men. Therefore we sing today on behalf of all Ukraine: “Be born, o Jesus, in every heart, all over our land!”

Christ, however, may only be born in those who believe in Him sincerely and accept Him as the only Saviour of the world and as the Lord of their lives. We firmly believe in this, for we have not learned it from man but heaven itself announces: “Do not be afraid! For there is born to you this day the Saviour, who is Christ the Lord.” This was believed by the Blessed Virgin Mary, through whom the Son of God comes into the world in the flesh so that He may abide with us and save us.

You who keep this incorrupt faith amid various sufferings, and all men of good will today, rejoice and be glad together with us. You all who are truly aware of the transience of this life as well as of the dominion of sin in the world and who long for salvation, be of good cheer, for the gift of salvation is granted us from heaven this day and in the face of all the afflictions the glory and peace of God rests upon us.

Come therefore and rejoice with the poor shepherds, all you meek, oppressed and forgotten, for the King of kings, who has put down the big and strong of this world, comes to you and opens His heavenly and angelic glory for you as the first to enter.

This day is the feast of you all who along with the shepherds long for the Truth, seeking it as the priceless pearl, ready to give up all else in order to gain it. Be happy, for today you have found this treasure – God’s Wisdom lying in a manger. This Wisdom delivers us from demonic darkness of idolatry and fills our hearts with the knowledge of the true God.

Take courage this day all of you who with the Holy Family are persecuted and defamed for the sake of this Truth, for the sake of the holy name of Jesus, because to you is given the kingdom of God. Although this kingdom is born in poverty and human weakness, in its midst there is almighty God who reigns for ever.

Together with all of you we specially give thanks to the new-born Jesus, who has called us in this time to defend the faith against heresies and to preach the full Gospel amidst present-day darkness of unbelief and apostasy from Christ.

We thank God for the grace of the past year of a spiritual fight, for perseverance in true faith, and for all graces poured out upon us in different places. Thanks be to God above all for our newly established spiritual centres (Bethlehems), which are symbols of rebirth of God’s life in Ukraine.

We live through faith this mystery of the birth of our salvation in Jesus Christ and we go into the world like shepherds and preach this salvation to all men as God has revealed it to us.

May the grace of the Child Jesus, through the Virgin Mary who gave birth to Him, descend upon you all, upon your families and your houses and abide with you for ever.

                                                           Christ is born! Let us adore Him!

                                                                   With episcopal blessing,

                                                               Bishops’ Synod of the UOGCC