Wollongong - The most joyous Christian holiday, Christmas - the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ - was solemnly observed by the Serbian community in Wollongong. The festive celebrations began at the Church of St John the Baptist with the traditional distribution of badnjak to the faithful and its ceremonial lighting in front of the church, marking the announcement of Christ’s birth. A Midnight Christmas Liturgy was celebrated at midnight.
In his Christmas message, His Holiness Serbian Patriarch Porfirije congratulated the faithful on Christmas, emphasising that it is a feast of peace and a time to overcome divisions and extend a hand to one another. - “In the light and life of peace and harmony, inspired by the ineffable joy of Christmas and the peace of Christ, we call on everyone to overcome divisions, to embrace one another, to extend a hand to one another, and to understand that, in a word, we are indispensable to one another. For the Christian faith does not teach us, in times of crisis, to wait for better days, but rather to become living signs of the future Kingdom of God ourselves – people who already live differently, who do not respond to fear with fear, nor to hatred with hatred,” stated His Holiness Serbian Patriarch Porfirije. Metropolitan Siluan of Australia and New Zealand sent a Christmas message in which he urged the faithful gathered in churches across Australia and New Zealand to pray to God for peace among people and nations on the Fifth Continent. He also expressed that this Christmas we are in prayer and thought with our brothers and sisters on the crucified Kosovo and Metohija. - “Although we live on the Fifth Continent, we are called never to forget - neither we nor our descendants - the Patriarchate of Peć, Visoki Dečani, Gračanica, Bogorodica of Ljeviša, Gazimestan, and all our holy places and sanctuaries in Kosovo and Metohija. Let us be united and harmonious as children of Saint Sava” - Metropolitan Siluan said.
The Serbian Orthodox Church and its faithful celebrate Christmas over three days. The second day is dedicated to the Most Holy Theotokos, in thanksgiving for having given birth to the Saviour, while the third day is devoted to Saint Archdeacon Stephen. Christmas, celebrated on 7 January, is also observed by other Orthodox Churches that follow the Julian calendar.
Peace of God – Christ is Born!