The Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church emphasizes, in the Christmas Pastoral, that in contemporary society, marked by “secularization or spiritual indifference”, a renewal of the calling of every Christian is increasingly necessary”to be a herald or an apostle of the merciful love of Christ in the world”.
The high hierarch says that the Lord Jesus Christ took the face of man precisely so that people would permanently turn their face to Him.
“As a shepherd, healer and savior of souls, with the beginning of His mission, Christ the Lord went from city to city to gather the lost sheep, to offer them spiritual food and to heal them of every disease and infirmity (cf. Matthew 4, 23; John 10, 11-16). Christ, the Traveler and the Pilgrim, Who carols everywhere to gather and save people, says: “Foxes have dens and birds of the air; but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head”. But his words do not refer to his inability to find a home, but to his holy and permanent work. He is looking for those who live temporarily in the world, in order to give them eternal life in the heavenly Kingdom of the Holy Trinity.“, PD Daniel transmits, in the Pastoral published by the Basilica Agency of the Romanian Patriarchate, quoted by Agerpres.
The Patriarch shows in the Christmas Pastoral that Christ comes in the guise of any man:
“Traveller or caroler in the world, during His life on earth, Christ the Lord sometimes shows Himself to us as a mysterious traveler even after His death and resurrection, when He travels to Emmaus as an unknown pilgrim, with Luke and Cleopas, to whom He is known only after they invited Him to enter their house (cf. Luke 24, 29-31), thus showing that God travels the world, in a mysterious way, He comes to us under the guise of any man who has need our help. The Lord Jesus Christ takes care of man, so that we may permanently turn our face to Him”.
“Carolers secretly imagine angels”
Since the mystery of the Nativity of Jesus Christ reveals the Son of God incarnate as being, at the same time, a traveler and evangelist in the world, the Romanian Orthodox Christians saw in Christmas carolers heralds of God’s love for the world, says the high Orthodox hierarch.
“The carolers secretly imagine the angels who announce the joy of the Nativity of Christ to the shepherds of Bethlehem, but also Christ the Lord Himself, who brings us the joy of God’s love for people and expects us to respond, with joy and love, to God’s call. This is the spiritual meaning of our Christmas carols and the pastoral visit of the priests with the icon of the Nativity in the homes of the faithful”explains Blessed Daniel.
The high Orthodox hierarch urges humble and merciful love towards all people, like Christ.
“In contemporary society, marked by secularization or spiritual indifference, it is increasingly necessary to renew the call of every Christian, cleric or layman, to be, like the angels and shepherds of Bethlehem, heralds or apostles of the merciful love of Christ in the world. Therefore, the Church urges us all to become carolers, witnesses and heralds of Christ the Messiah, who came into the world to give us peace and joy, salvation, life and eternal happiness! May Christ the Lord, the Lover of people and the Savior of our souls, help us with His grace to show His humble and merciful love to all people around us, but especially to the poor children, the sick and the elderly, and may He pour into the hearts and homes of all His holy peace and joy that He once gave to the angels and shepherds of Bethlehem“, emphasizes PF Daniel.
“Prayers of thanksgiving to God”
For the night of December 31, 2025 to January 1, 2026 and New Year’s Day, Patriarch Daniel urges “prayers of thanks to God for the favors received from Him in the year 2025, which has passed, and to ask Him for help in all the good and useful work of the New Year in which we are entering”.
“Let’s also mention in our prayers all the Romanians who are among foreigners, far from the Country, in order to preserve the unity of faith andI have,” says the Blessed Father.
On the occasion of the Holy Holidays of the Nativity, the New Year and the Baptism of the Lord, Patriarch Daniel also transmits “wishes for health and salvation, peace and joy, happiness and much help from God in every good deed, following the exhortation of the ‘holy and good carol’: ‘And now I leave you, be healthy/And merry for Christmas/But don’t forget, when you are cheerful/Romanian, be good!'”
“Happy birthday!”wishes the Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church.
