Christmas Eve is one of those quiet family holidays, filled with hope for the future. At the border between the past and the present, Orthodox Bulgarians gather to welcome the days to come. Traditionally, the table on Christmas Eve is simple and consists of meatless dishes, because the Son of God is born in a shepherd's manger, far from the noise and vanity of the world. The first to see Infant Jesus were not nobles or dignitaries, but poor shepherds who came to worship Him. This is why our Orthodox Church emphasizes the spiritual side of the Nativity of Christ – humility and care for our neighbor, following the example of the Son of God. As St. Seraphim of Sofia says, ''Love for our neighbor is the measure of our love for God.'' In this sense, the clergy's call to the laity is to celebrate the birth of the Savior not in a worldly manner, but with spiritual joy, with prayers for the suffering and thoughts for the poor and homeless.
Everyone is rushing to delight their loved ones with gifts, but the true gift is the immaterial one. It is in the kind word, the attention, the universal human values that transform us in the light of God's love.
In anticipation of the Glorious Feast of Nativity, Metropolitan Anthony of Central and Western Europe sent his blessing to the audience of Radio Bulgaria:
''We live these sacred moments similar to the earthly and heavenly Church. Let us prepare to open our hearts, just like the manger that welcomed the newly born Infant Jesus. Let us be better, let us have more love in our hearts, preserve our Orthodox faith with more hope, more love, more effort and care for the younger generation. Because we know that we reap what we sow. Let us sow with love, so that we may reap good fruits, which will be a guarantee for the well-being of our society!"
The gift that Jesus Christ expects on His feast is that the faithful follow Him in humility and meekness, forgetting their selfishness and passions. With the words “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests’’ we offer a prayer with one heart and one voice to Infant Jesus, asking Him to end the wars in the world and to stop the divisions and hatred among people!"
Published and translated by Kostadin Atanasov
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