Following you can read the Christmas Message 2020 of His Beatitude Patriarch Mor Ignatius Youssef III YOUNAN, Patriarch of Antioch for Syriac Catholic Church:

    Nr. Prot.: 169/2020

    Date: 23/12/2020

CHRISTMAS MESSAGE 2020

To our brothers, Archbishops and Bishops, Fathers of our Holy Synod of Antioch,

To the Priests, Deacons, religious and consecrated men and women,

To all the faithful people in Lebanon, the Middle East and the Church of Extension

Peace and love in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ:

« The Hope of the universe visited us as a child, a poor man without clothes who enriched us with much good »

    The Bible teaches us that God has visited his people throughout the ages, with fatherly tenderness, He made a covenant with them that their longing for a Messiah will be fulfilled with the birth of a child in the womb of the Virgin by the power of the Holy Spirit, as Saint Paul reminds us: « But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman… that we might receive the adoption as sons » (Gal 4: 4-5).

    On Christmas, we celebrate the fulfillment of God's promise: « The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us » (John 1:14), The child born from the Blessed Virgin Mary by the power of the Holy Spirit is Jesus, meaning « God the Savior ». He will achieve through his unspeakable humility our participation in his divinity. This is the Mystery of the Incarnation that surpasses all human concepts and has to be assumed by faith, because nothing impossible for God who is Love!

    In Bethlehem, the angel lights the darkness of the night and heralds the shepherds about the miraculous event that generations have longed for: the birth of the Messiah. And behold, Christians like the shepherds who rushed to see the divine Child in a manger, celebrate the Nativity today, to revitalize their hope « above all hope », to strengthen their faith in the Savior who can remove the darkness of their long night, save them from the pandemic dangers and grant them a New Year of good health, true peace, and joy.

    Hope is a divine virtue that we need more than ever today, as we live in Lebanon with one crisis after another. The country has long been plagued by political strife, economic collapse, and security chaos until the horrific explosion in the port of Beirut that killed hundreds and injured thousands of innocent people. The pandemic which is not only a crisis, rather a hecatomb, must have exacerbated the alarming situation and continues to spread fear, disease, and death. It has paralyzed the daily life, exasperated the families, left the elderly in fear and distraught young people! We, therefore, must enkindle the beacon of Hope, begging God-Incarnate, our compassionate Savior for mercy and pardon.

    Conditions are no better in Syria, where the simplest basic life is absent, due to the resurgence of violence caused by terrorist gangs who are still supported financially and militarily by foreign countries. We condemn the indifference of Western countries toward the suffering of civilians who have endured the embargo for so long, with the pretext of supporting an uprising against a legitimate government!

    We are delighted to know that Pope Francis will visit Iraq next March, and will bless our Cathedral in Bagdad and pray at the tomb of our martyrs, as well we will expecting him in Qaraqosh to welcome him with that wonderful community of Christians who have been eradicated from their lands in the plain of Nineveh, but full of hope they made a return to their homeland. Therefore, we congratulate all the Iraqi people for that blessed visit.

    In the Christmas season, Joy and Hope go hand in hand as is the title of the document of Second Vatican Council, « Gaudium et Spes », that reminds us to renew our total confidence in the divine love and regain the joy from our union with the Lord. No matter how many pains, problems, and painful situations there remains the torch of Hope that lights up our pilgrimage on earth to the kingdom of heaven, where there is no pain, sadness, or despair, but the happiness we have always aspired to.

    On this occasion, we are pleased to extend as usual our warm congratulations and prayerful wishes, to all of you, beloved clergy and faithful of our Syriac Church of Antioch, in Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Arabian Gulf, Holy Land, Jordan, Egypt, Turkey, Europe, the Americas, and Australia.

    As a sign of our paternal affection, we grant you all our apostolic blessing: May the Almighty One God bless you, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, Amen.

ܡܫܺܝܚܳܐ ܐܶܬܺܝܠܶܕ... ܗܰܠܶܠܽܘܝܰܗ

Merry and Peaceful Christmas, Happy and Blessed 2021!

    Ignatius Youssef III YOUNAN

    Patriarch of Antioch for Syriac Catholic Church