Beloved fathers, monks, brothers and sisters of our Russian Orthodox Church ROCIE (V), living in this country and dispersed throughout.
On the occasion of the advent of the glorious holiday of the Incarnation of Our Lord Jesus Christ I congratulate you from the full heart, by wishing you sincerely and warmly peace, health, joy, tranquility and spiritual greeting.
The feast of Nativity is the holiday of Love, because, for man, the Lord was incarnate into man. So that the fallen man by sin comes back renewed, by the Birth of Our Lord, in the state of happiness, in beatitude and in communion with Our Lord.
Another year passed in the history of humanity. Whether good or bad, everything took place by the will of God, by His Providence, because He is Master of space and time, while we are guests, passing in time.
Our Church sustained big losses: departed to Our Lord the Blessed Metropolitan Vitaly, a new schism took place (that of Orlov and Pivovarov). To this evidence the words of the Apostle Paul are fulfilled "Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall be taken away. Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. ... Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not; But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God. But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them." (2 Cor. III, 16-17 and IV, 1-4). But even more painful is to see that the passing events correspond to the words of the Saviour: "And Jesus saith unto them, All ye shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smithe the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered." (Mark XIV, 27). The history of the Church knew in the course of time different periods - periods of growth, falls, expansion and a big struggle for the conservation of purity. We should not forget, that the Church of Christ is an organism intended for the salvation of human souls. The Church will struggle till the end of time for the salvation of Humanity. The Church struggles and Its sons who struggle are saved in Her. The Church will not be conquered, because She is the bridegroom of Christ.
Times have changed, we live in a new, contemporary epoch. Humanity is persecuted by the spirit of deceit and treason. But though it is there, the truth is one and it does not change. First of all we need good workers, according to the words of the Gospel "Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest." (Matt. IX, 37-38). These good workers are precisely the small quantity of believers who keep the true Faith. There is nothing more holy in this world than the salvation of the soul and the Faith, that we have received as a gift from Our Lord Jesus Christ, the founder of Our Church.
Today we must, as never before, keep alive our Faith, blossom spiritually, grow in good deeds, so that the small flame of our Orthodox Faith does not go out which still resides. There was a time when we constructed churches, monasteries. The time has arrived, now, to keep the small quantity which remains "I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?" (Luke XVIII, 8). We should not lose our reason, to the contrary, we must augment our hope in the Lord, because it is He Who watches over those whom He has chosen.
May this bright holiday of the Nativity of Christ, as well as all winter Feasts, bring divine ardour in our souls, a firm Faith, spiritual floodlighting and the joy of eternal life. "Fear not, little flock". Amen.
December 25th 2006/January 7th 2007
- Anthony, Bishop of Beltsk and Moldova