Christmas Message 2024/25 from His Eminence Metropolitan Jean of Dubna

To their Excellencies, and to the clergy, the monks, the nuns and the faithful of the Archdiocese of the Orthodox Churches of the Russian Tradition in Western Europe

CHRIST IS BORN, LET US GLORIFY HIM!

It is with great spiritual joy and love that I greet you, my dear children, on this feast of the Nativity of the Lord Jesus Christ.

For more than two thousand years, Christians have been celebrating the event that changed our world. As we remember this event, our hearts leap for joy at the miracle of our Savior’s incarnation. A new ray of love, light, goodness and mercy is penetrating every home and every heart.

The Son of God, eternally born of God the Father, is now born on earth for us, our salvation, from the Holy Spirit and the Most Pure Virgin Mary. He has taken on human nature and renewed it in Himself. He has given all who believe in Him a new birth of water and Spirit (John 3:5), and removed sin and death from human life by opening us to eternal life. The Nativity of Christ marks the beginning of a new era for all humanity, as sung in an irmos of the feast: “Sing to the Lord all the earth, sing for joy all peoples, while you are glorified”.

Only a few shepherds heard of this great event from the angel: “Do not be afraid, I declare to you a great joy that will be for all people: for on this day in the city of David a Saviour is born to you, who is Christ the Lord. And this is a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger” (Lk 2:10-12). After hearing these words, the shepherds did not doubt, they did not go looking for further testimonies or proofs. Without hesitation, they immediately accepted Christ in their pure hearts and worshipped the Child Jesus.

The Wise Men – the Magi, were next to worship the newborn Child. Their faith is that of scientists whose knowledge of God is through the natural world and books, through observable natural phenomena and learning. They go to God the Creator by way of the intellect, seeking truth through scientific observation and intellectual stuggle. This path also leads to Christ, if the truth is sought with all one’s heart, and includes turning to God through prayer.

Taking into account the events of Christmas night, we can see that there are different paths that lead to the Lord. To anyone single-mindedly seeking such a path, the Lord will always be of help, his grace will open the eyes of the heart to know the truth. “For the saving grace of God has appeared to all men” (Tit. 2:14). Our Lord Jesus Christ calls each of us to be happy, to communicate eternally with our Creator and God, so that in the short life that God gives us, each of us may reach that summit of faith and holiness, through which we may enter freely into the eternal Kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (2 Peter 1,  11).

The fullness of God’s love is revealed in the mystery of the Incarnation, immeasurable and more than can be fully comprehended by the human spirit. The love of God knows no limits; He did not spare his only Son but gave him up for the salvation of the human race. “And the Word became flesh and dwelt with us, full of grace and truth” (John 1:14). The Son of God, born on earth as a helpless child, is here with us now, reconciling the things of earth with the heavenly. In the Nativity of Christ all is forgiven. It is a feast of joy and peace, a celebration of love and hope. With the grace that emanates from Nativity of Christ, this feast will transform our lives. Christ will be born in us and our hearts will be filled with the angelic song of endless joy. Through the mystery of God, Christ is born in our hearts, bringing peace to the earth. To souls who are sad and weary, God grants salvation and brings joy. In carols and Christmas hymns the Church repeats a song of victory, “God is with us! Yes, God is with us!”, that we may joyfully radiate the infinite love of God.

For our salvation, Our Lord Jesus Christ did not despise the manger in which as a child he lay, wrapped in swaddling clothes. He, through whom all things were made, did not shun the cold cave in which animals dwelt. And in the same way, Our Lord Jesus Christ will not despise or shun our homes if we open also the door of our hearts to Him, without pridefulness or guile. Responding to his sacrificial love and voluntary suffering, let us bring our good deeds, offering help to all those who need our attention. By this we invite the Saviour into our souls. I pray to God that in the year that lies ahead, the souls of each of us will become a manger for the newborn Jesus Christ, and our hearts will become a throne from which the Lord can reign.

Earthly life that stretches out before us is like a path covered by a carpet woven from many elements – the hard work of a living faith, an often unfaithful love, firm hope, fasting, prayer, good works, patience, various sorrows, sickness, wars, tears of repentance and so much more. As we look back, many of us can see that for us most of this path has already been trodden and there is very little further to go. But no matter. we do not stop, we keep going, walking along that path with patience, mercy and forgiving love. The incarnation of the Son of God showed that our salvation is in our grasp.

During the days of Christmas, the infinitely loving gaze of the eternally living God, full of immeasurable peace, breaks throught the starry skies. The whole world is held in His hands, the little hands of the baby Jesus, then how far removed is all the turmoil of the world.

On this salutary and bright day, I wish you, my beloved children, a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. May the Newborn Savior comfort us in the midst of earthly cares and sorrows, granting us His grace and peace. May He strengthen our hope that the sacrificial Love, now given to the world, will overcome all troubles.

May the light of the Star of Bethlehem give us all the strength to grow spiritually, in proportion to the growth of Christ in us, and to multiply all good Gospel deeds for the glory of God and for our salvation. Whoever has found the way to the manger of the Child God, may he go there with confidence. May no earthly storm of today shake you in your faith.

May the love of the Child Jesus Christ help you to find the right path and to hold on to the light of truth: the Heavenly Kingdom!

Holy Christmas to you all!

Paris, 25 December 2024 / 7 January 2025

† Metropolitan Jean of Dubna,

Archbishop of the Orthodox Churches of the Russian Tradition

in Western Europe