N A T I V I T Y     E P I S T L E

of the Archbishop of Chicago and Mid-America

Today the Vigin cometh to give birth ineffably to the Preeternal Word in the cave. Dance, O world! And having heard this, with the angels and shepherds glorify the preeternal God, Who is to appear as a little babe. (Kontakion of the Forefeast of the Nativity of Christ)

The Lord of all Creation becomes a man while remaining God. He Who rules the universe is incarnate in time while remaining on a fiery throne in the Heavens. All for the love of fallen mankind.

We can not and should not avoid reflecting on these lofty theological thoughts at this time of year, when we worship the newborn Christ Child coming into His world not with trumpets, fanfare, and worldly splendor, but born humbly in a cave used for the protection of animals from the elements.

This birth – this incarnation – took place in a specific place. A place we, as Orthodox Christians, take for granted all too often. The Holy Land – the land of our merciful Lord’s birth – is for us mostly thought of as place of pilgrimage. We hope to visit there at least once in our lifetime. Not very many Christians remain living in the Holy Land, and thus the support of our many Russian Orthodox properties in the Holy Land more and more depends upon pilgrims and benefactors rather than the local population.

During this time of the pandemic it is essentially impossible for pilgrims to visit the Holy Land – at least not in numbers that can materially support the monks and nuns living and serving there. And thus, on this day of the Nativity of our Lord, who was born for our salvation in this very Holy Land, I turn to you as parishioners of the Mid-American diocese and ask, just as you find a place in your heart for the newborn Christ, to also find a small place in your budget to send a donation to our diocesan collection for those laboring on our behalf in the land of our Lord’s birth. Having served in the Russian Ecclesiastical Mission there as the Chief of the Mission I can say from personal experience: your help is always needed, and even more so in these difficult pandemic days.

May the Lord reward you in this life and the next for your support of His Church, specifically in this case: for your support for those who labor for your good in the Land of His miraculous birth!

Christ is Born! Glorify Him!

+Archbishop Peter

Please send you donations to:

Diocese of Chicago & Mid-America Holy Land Nativity Collection

P.O. Box 1367

Des Plaines, IL 60017

РОЖДЕСТВЕНСКОЕ ПОСЛ�НІЕ

архіепи�копа Чикаг�каго и Средне-�мерикан�каго

Дѣва дне�ь превечное Слово въ вертепѣ грядетъ родити неизреченно: лик�й, в�еленная, ��лы�ав�и, про�лави �о �нгелы и па�тырьми хотящаго явити�я Отроча Младо, Превѣчного Бога. (кондакъ предпраздн�тва Рожде�тва Хри�това).

Го�подь в�ея твари �тановит�я человѣкомъ, о�тавая�ь Богомъ. Тотъ, Кто правитъ в�еленною, воплощает�я во времени, о�тавая�ь вѣчно на огненномъ пре�толѣ на Небе�ахъ. В�e изъ любви къ пад�ем� человѣк�.

Мы не можемъ и не должны избѣгать размы�леній объ этихъ возвы�енныхъ бого�лов�кихъ и�тинахъ въ то время года, когда мы поклоняем�я новорожденном� Богомладенц�, приходящем� въ Свой міръ не �ъ тр�бами, фанфарами и мір�кимъ великолѣпіемъ, но �миренно рожденном� въ пещерѣ, при�по�обленной подъ хлѣвъ для �кота.

Cіе рожденіе - �іе воплощеніе - произо�ло въ опредѣленномъ мѣ�тѣ, до�т�пно�ть къ котором� мы, право�лавные хри�тіане, �ли�комъ ча�то принимаемъ какъ должное. Святая Земля - земля, гдѣ родил�я на�ъ мило�тивый Го�подь, - для на�ъ главнымъ образомъ мѣ�то паломниче�тва. Мы в�ѣ хотѣли бы побывать тамъ хотя бы разъ въ жизни. Въ на�е время не такъ много хри�тіанъ о�тало�ь на Святой Землѣ, и поэтом� поддержка многихъ на�ихъ право�лавныхъ владѣній на Святой Землѣ в�e боль�е и боль�е зави�итъ отъ паломниковъ и благотворителей, а не отъ мѣ�тнаго на�еленія.

Въ это эпидемиче�кое время для паломниковъ практиче�ки невозможно по�ѣтить Свят�ю Землю - по крайней мѣрѣ, въ такомъ количе�твѣ, которое можетъ матеріально поддержать монаховъ и монахинь, жив�щихъ и �л�жащихъ тамъ. � поэтом� въ этотъ день Рожде�тва Го�пода на�его Іи���а Хри�та, рожденнаго для на�его �па�енія на этой �амой Святой Землѣ, я обращаю�ь къ Вамъ, прихожанамъ Средне-�мерикан�кой епархіи и про�� ва�ъ по�ильно принять �ча�тіе въ епархіальномъ �борѣ для тѣхъ, кто тр�дит�я отъ на�его имени въ �транѣ Спа�ителева рожденія. Б�д�чи начальникомъ Р���кой д�ховной ми��іи на Святой Землѣ, по �об�твенном� опыт� мог� �казать, что Ва�а матеріальная помощь н�жна в�егда, а тѣмъ болѣе въ эти тр�дные дни пандеміи.

П��ть Го�подь вознаградитъ Ва�ъ въ этой и �лѣд�ющей жизни за Ва�� поддержк� Его Церкви, о�обенно въ этомъ �л�чаѣ: за Ва�� поддержк� тѣхъ, кто тр�дит�я для Ва�его блага въ Странѣ Его ч�де�наго рожденія!

ХриŃ�Ń‚ĐľŃ�ŃŠ раждаетŃ�ŃŹ – Ń�лавите!

+�рхіепи�копъ Петръ

Пожал�й�та, отправляйте пожертвованія по адре��:

Diocese of Chicago & Mid-America Holy Land Nativity Collection

P.O. Box 1367

Des Plaines, IL 60017

nativityepistle2022.pdf