His Holiness the Bulgarian Patriarch and Metropolitan of Sofia Daniil delivered an address on the occasion of the Nativity of Christ, published on the website of the Bulgarian Patriarchate.
We publish the text without editorial intervention:
"BELOVED CHILDREN OF OUR HOLY CHURCH,
Silent in prayer, gathered around the warm home hearth on Christmas night, our hearts are filled with great joy at the fulfillment of the promise given many centuries ago to our forefathers about the birth of the Savior. This great event, which became the beginning of the renewal and salvation of man and all creation, we experience today.
Great is the mystery of godliness: God appeared in the flesh, was witnessed by the Spirit, appeared to Angels, was preached to the nations.
Truly, a great mystery!
The eternal, beginningless, inaccessible, but infinitely loving God came down to earth and became Man. The Son of God, the second Person of the Holy Trinity, was born as Man from the Holy Spirit and the Most Pure Virgin Mary. He was born as Man with a human soul, a human body, a human mind, a human will and a human life. This great miracle, this great mystery stands higher even than the creation of the world itself.
Together with the angelic hosts, from the depths of our souls we also exclaim: "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men!“
Glory to God, who does not abandon us. Glory to God, who never forgets us. Glory to God, who became Man, to deliver us from sin, corruption and death. Glory to God, who humbled himself, diminished, humiliated and limited himself, to elevate, exalt, free and save man.
Glory to God, who brought us His heavenly Peace! In today's times of wars, uncertainty and fear for the future, our only hope and comfort is the Lord Jesus Christ. For we have His promise: "I am with you always, even to the end of the world."
Glory to God, who teaches us to have goodwill among ourselves – the good will to help each other. The good will to serve God and our neighbor. The good will to repent of our sins, to forgive each other. The good will to overcome loneliness through spiritual communion in Christ. The good will to overcome sadness and hopelessness through fervent prayer, trust in God's providence and participation in the life of the holy Church. The good will to help from the heart and selflessly our brothers and sisters who suffer, are sick, go through various difficulties and deprivations. The good will to put aside our personal interest and selfish aspirations for the sake of our neighbors and God. The good will to have unity in His holy name.
Beloved brothers and sisters in the Lord,
On Christmas Eve, on the eve of the Nativity of Christ, we clearly see the future that God has foreseen for us - to be with us, now and forever! And God is with us - such is His unchanging good will. Therefore, in the Church of Christ, no one is alone. Christ is with us always and unfailingly. But let us also be with Him - with our Lord God and Savior. The Orthodox faith does not leave man to his own strength, but gives him meaning and purpose, gives him strength and courage to overcome with God's help every difficulty, every adversity, every temptation.
May the Nativity of Christ be the beginning of a profound, gracious change in our way of thinking and living, in our relationships with God and our neighbors!
May we make our hearts mangers with living faith, with godly humility, with sincere repentance and with deeds of love for God and humanity, so that the God-Child, Lord Jesus Christ, may be born in them and we may have life in His name!
MERRY CHRISTMAS!
A PEACEFUL, GRACEFUL AND SAVING NEW YEAR!"
Source: FOCUS