During the liturgy, Priest Georgy Dvorovoy announced the Christmas message sent by His Holiness Patriarch Kirill of Moscow and all Rus'.
Before beginning his sermon, Bishop Savvaty read the message from Metropolitan Vikentiy of Tashkent and Uzbekistan, who is the head of the Central Asian Metropolitan District.
Addressing the congregation, Bishop Savvaty emphasized that Christmas is not just a memorable event from a distant past, but an important part of the spiritual life of every Christian that should be acknowledged daily.
“We should celebrate the Nativity of Christ not just once a year, but every day, reviving in our hearts the Lord and our Savior Jesus Christ. It is necessary to bring Him sacrifices of gratitude, prayers, service, humility, and meekness,” noted the archpastor.
He added that on such days, it is wrong to feel despondent, to grumble, or to fall into sadness. “We are obliged to inspire ourselves with joy about God and the joy of service,” he emphasized.
In addition, Bishop Savvaty reminded about various social and charitable initiatives being implemented in the diocese.
