Saturday 24 December 2011

Blessed Christmas

The birth of Jesus Christ of Nazareth has split history in two, so that each calendar is reckoned before or after His birth. The year in which He was born marks the period known as AD (“Anno Domini”), and the years before that as BC (“Before Christ”).

Our Lord's Nativity is observed on December 25. The early Church Fathers made the birthdate of our Lord deliberately to coincide with and offset the pagan celebration of Saturnalia, that festive pagan day of celebration in which the sun crossed the imaginary line drawn on the later-day maps as the equator.

To the pagans it signified a rebirth of the sun, now returning to the north to assert its full power and bring on the spring season; but to the Christians it marked the birthday celebration of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who had created not only the sun, but all the other stars and planets of the universe.

On December 25 the Saviour was born, and God so loved the world He had created that He sacrificed his Son thirty-three short years later for the redemption of all mankind. The star that shone over Bethlehem to light the way for the Wise Men of the East still shines as an eternal beacon in the hearts of all those who have Jesus Christ in their hearts.

We wish you all a Blessed Christmas!

With festal wishes

The Parish Priest
The Trustees
The Church Committee
The Ladies of St. Agatha Sisterhood
The Hellenic College
St. Panteleimon Nursery
And our Community’s Youth

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