Category: Nativity of the Savior

NB:“They departed into their own country another way.”

Our encounter with the Nativity of Christ must change our way. MATTHEW 2:12 And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way. (Matthew 2:12)  This scripture describes what we must do if there is to be a “nativity” in our hearts.… Continue reading NB:“They departed into their own country another way.”

Sunday after Nativity 2009. Audio Homily. How should we react to evil?

LISTEN NOW Matthew 2:13-23 13 And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him.… Continue reading Sunday after Nativity 2009. Audio Homily. How should we react to evil?

Sunday after Nativity – events afterwards are to be expected.

Brothers and sisters: Christ is born!  When we read about the events that occurred right after the birth of Christ – in the 40 days or so right after the birth of Christ – we should be struck with how carefully God plans for our salvation. Everything was already arranged. He knew that Herod would… Continue reading Sunday after Nativity – events afterwards are to be expected.

NB:The barren desert will bear many children.

The great power of the holy services of the church and especially the deeply theological and devotional content of matins is that it presents the important dogmas of our faith in startling and understandable ways. In every matins service, there is something that is too beautiful for words, and yet, the words being sung warm the soul and comfort it.

This sticheron above contains such words. A dogma of our faith is that Christ came so that human nature could change, be renewed, become holy. We know this (or should know this – many Christians do not understand this dogma), but in order for it to be completely active in us, we must experience it.

Here, the bearing of many children is used …

Nativity Epistle of Archbishop Kyrill of San Francisco and Western America

  Christ Is Born! Glorify Him! No sooner was our Lord Jesus Christ born in Bethlehem, joining us under the most contradictory of circumstances, that His persecution began. Upon receiving the news of the Messiah’s Nativity from the three Wise Kings, the most wicked King Herod, in a fit of rage, sent his soldiers to… Continue reading Nativity Epistle of Archbishop Kyrill of San Francisco and Western America

Nativity Epistle of Bishop John of Caracas and South America

  Brothers and sisters, beloved children in Christ, my dear Christians, yet again we are able to celebrate the radiant feast of the Lord’s incarnation, to honour this divine event, when the pre-eternal Son of God descended upon this earth and became man, so as to lift up fallen humanity and raise it from the… Continue reading Nativity Epistle of Bishop John of Caracas and South America

Ambvon Prayer on the Feast of the Nativity of the Savior

Ambvon Prayer on the Feast of the Nativity of the Savior, translated by Bishop Jerome.

O Master, Christ our God, Who from before all ages didst shine forth from the Father [Greek: “from Thine unoriginate Father”] without passion, and in the latter days wast ineffably incarnate and born of the most holy Virgin;

Who for our sakes wast made poor, that by Thy poverty we might be enriched; …

Nativity Epistle of Archbishop Mark of Berlin and Germany 2010

Christ is born, glorify Him! And the Word was made flesh (John 1:14) The Mystery of the Incarnation of the Word of God is beyond comprehension to the feeble intellect of mankind. Exactly how this was manifested is unknown even to the angels, archangels and other heavenly bodiless powers. The Holy Fathers say that for… Continue reading Nativity Epistle of Archbishop Mark of Berlin and Germany 2010

Nativity Epistle of His Eminence Metropolitan Hilarion First Hierarch of the Russian Church Abroad

  Archpastors and brethren, most honorable fathers, and all Orthodox children of the Russian Diaspora, beloved in the Lord!  I congratulate you with all my heart on the all-glorious and divinely salvific feast of the Nativity of Christ and the impending New Year!  Each year the feast of the Nativity of Christ enters into our… Continue reading Nativity Epistle of His Eminence Metropolitan Hilarion First Hierarch of the Russian Church Abroad