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Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

May the grace and peace of the New-Born God be with you all.

After inquiring about your well-being, we say:

We are very much close to Christmas, the birth of the ultimate Love, the Love that cannot be described because of what it accomplished and gave to humanity. Prophets who superseded Christ's arrival stood in line in front of the grotto, happily looking and seeing their Master, God, and Creator as a tiny child wrapped in swaddling cloth in a lowly manger inhabited by animals happy to see the light surrounding the Babe Who shared them their small barn, according to their prophesies.

Soon after, a feature of a huge royal procession with all glory and splendor was seen, surrounded by a legion of armed guards. This procession held in his heart great hopes and grieves. A group of kings came to openly declare their loyalty to the New-Birthed King to Whom they were told by their king in Persia, hoping to find Him through the guidance of the shining star in the sky, to clearly show them the place of His birth.

And there, on the hills of the city of Judah, shepherds sat around dry burning wood to protect them from severe cold, and the angel told them in a strong voice, saying: "Glory to God in the highest, peace on earth, and goodwill toward men." It was very difficult to describe the joy upon hearing these meaningful words. It confirmed the Creator's glory Who showed His love through the kings of Persia and simple shepherds from Judea. He gathered the mighty rich with the down to earth poor, in order to praise, glorify, and honor Him. Even tens and hundreds of innocent children shed their blood for their love and passion for the newly born.

So, let us all proceed to the manger with humble hearts and pure intentions to sense and feel the message of love and sacrifice of the newly born. In the lowly paths of life there are thirsty people to Christ, hungry for the spiritual food which is His commandments. We live in spiritual richness, in the atmosphere of incense, churches, and temples. There are people living in wealth, and on the other side people who yearn for running water but longing to know the holy perfection, looking to the shining lights of Christmas hoping to see the beautiful face of the newly born.

My beloved, let us have joy with the Babe of Bethlehem. Let us pour our hearts in front of the manger and present them as Christmas gifts to the Lord of Christmas.

My beloved, parishioners of this adored Archdiocese for which I pray from the bottom of my heart to continue its progress and prosperity, and that the loving Jesus will keep us united in love which He gave us. I wish for every one of you, old and young, all goodness and blessings, specially to the priests who work tirelessly in spreading the teachings of the Lord with loyalty and good words.

I ask the Lord to preserve our supreme head of the church, His Holiness Mor Ignatius Ephram II, and the rest of prelates of the Syriac Orthodox Church everywhere, and strengthen all church faithful, the zealous priests who work to spread the words of salvation. I ask the Lord to protect and keep our Syrian people worldwide specially the parishioners of our Archdiocese.
Have a very Merry Christmas & Happy and Wonderful New Year.