MP Greetings To Those Not Observing ORTHODOX Calendar

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His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Russia greeted the heads of non-Orthodox Churches celebrating Christmas on December 25 according to new style

His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Russia sent his Christmas greetings to the heads of non-Orthodox Churches, which celebrate the Nativity of Christ on December 25 according to the new style.

Among the Patriarch’s addressees are the Pope of Rome Benedict XVI, Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams and leaders of other Churches and Christian communities.

The text of the message is given below.

On the radiant day of the Nativity of Christ I cordially greet you with this joyful feast as ‘God has sent forth His Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons’ (Gal 4:4-5).

The Nativity of our Lord has transformed the course of world history and granted the new life in Christ to humanity. On this sacred day we sing a hymn ‘Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased’ (Lk 2:14) and thank God for love and salvation, which He revealed to the world through His beloved Son.

I wholeheartedly wish you radiant joy in the Born Saviour, good health and God’s help in your lofty ministry.

With love in the Born Christ,

+ALEXY, PATRIARCH OF MOSCOW AND ALL RUSSIA

NATIVITY OF CHRIST 2005/2006
MOSCOW

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Metropolitan Kirill send his Christmas greeting to the heads of non-Orthodox Churches celebrating Christmas on December 25 according to new style

Metropolitan Kirill of Smolensk and Kaliningrad, Chairman of the Department for External Church Relations of the Moscow Patriarchate, congratulated the heads of non-Orthodox Churches, which celebrate Christmas on December 25 according to the new style.

Greetings were sent to the Pope of Rome Benedict XVI, Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams, head of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland Jukka Paarma and leaders of other Churches and Christian communities.

The text is given below.

I wholeheartedly greet you with the radiant and joyful feast of the Nativity of Christ. On these days, when we solemnly recall the coming into the world of the Only-begotten Son of God, the Prophet Isaiah’ words resound with a new force: ‘For to us a child is born, to us a Son is give’ (Is 9:6). This was indeed a salutary news, as the Incarnate Lord ‘gave power to become children of God’ (Jn 1:12) to all who believe in Him.

I cordially wish you abundant grace from the Infant God, good health and God’s help in all your good deeds.

With love in the Born Christ,

Metropolitan Kirill of Smolensk and Kaliningrad Chairman
Department for External Church Relations
Moscow Patriarchate

Nativity of Christ
2005/2006
Moscow

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Russian Catholics, Orthodox exchange Christmas gestures
Moscow, Dec. 27 (CWNews.com) - Archbishop Tadeusz Kondrusiewicz of Moscow reached out to Russian Orthodox believers during his homily at Christmas Mass, saying that despite differences in their respective liturgical calendars, Catholics and Orthodox "share the single joy of Bethlehem."

Moscow, Dec. 27 (CWNews.com) - Archbishop Tadeusz Kondrusiewicz of Moscow (shown here R) reached out to Russian Orthodox believers during his homily at Christmas Mass, saying that despite differences in their respective liturgical calendars, Catholics and Orthodox "share the single joy of Bethlehem."
The Archbishop's words were a reference to a recent controversy in Moscow, where Catholic and Orthodox believers celebrate Christmas on different days. The Russian Orthodox Church, using the Julian calendar, celebrates the Nativity on January 7. Catholics, along with most Protestants in Russia, celebrate Christmas on December 25. Archbishop Kondrusiewicz also expressed his best wishes to those celebrating the feast on the later date.

Some militant Orthodox believers, led by a prominent Moscow deacon, had threatened to picket the city's Catholic cathedral on December 25, "in defense of the Russian Christmas." That protest was called off when it provoked adverse reactions.

Russian Orthodox Patriarch Alexei II made his own gesture toward Catholics, and other Christians "celebrating Christmas on December 25 according to new style," with a public statement: "I wholeheartedly wish you radiant joy in the newborn Savior, good health, and God’s help in your lofty ministry. "

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http://directionstoorthodoxy.org/mod/ne ... le_id=6606

Number of Russians to celebrate Western Christmas decreases - poll
Moscow, December 23, Interfax - A poll conducted by the Yury Levada Analytic Center among 1,600 people indicates that many Russians have decided not to celebrate Western Christmas in 2005 to save strength for the upcoming New Year's Day.

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Moscow, December 23, Interfax - A poll conducted by the Yury Levada Analytic Center among 1,600 people indicates that many Russians have decided not to celebrate Western Christmas in 2005 to save strength for the upcoming New Year's Day.

Only 6% of Russians will celebrate Western Christmas this year on December 25. In 2004 the figure was 16%, 19% in 2003, 18% in 2002 and 2001, and 16% in 2000.

Russians under 40 years of age, students, people with higher education and income of over 12,000 rubles, living in Moscow and medium- sized cities said they will celebrate Christmas more often than others.