Basilica.ro remains a companion for its readers and friends during the 2022 Nativity Fast with a social media Christmas campaign titled #peaceonearth.
The theme was inspired by the angels who sang the first Christmas carol in Bethlehem two thousand years ago: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men” (Luke 2:14).
Our times show us how important peace is. The purpose of the #peaceonearth campaign is to prepare ourselves for welcoming the One called “Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6). Our preparation to receive the Prince of Peace consists in becoming peacemakers in a world troubled by conflict and division.
Our goal is to understand that peace is not a given, but we must work to build it and maintain it by cultivating goodwill, as the angels told us. Building peace requires almsgiving, self-giving, and sacrifice. For this reason, we dedicate the fasting season preceding Christmas to pacification and self-offering.
Throughout the Commemorative Year 2022, we have heard about the hesychast saints and their struggles to achieve spiritual stillness through prayer. Furthermore, as part of sanctifying our life, the Patriarch of Romania frequently preached about pacifying selfish passions.
As we travel down the path with all of these buds of peace, we expect to see blooms or even fruits of pacification until we meet the Prince of Peace as a Baby on Earth.
We chose the theme #peaceonearth to inaugurate the Commemorative Year 2023, which will be dedicated by the Romanian Patriarchate to hymnographers and church chanters.
We will discover numerous gifts of peace together, both on the basilica.ro website and on our social media accounts, under the hashtag #peaceonearth including fasting tips, reading recommendations, Factbox articles about the Nativity of the Lord, Christmas carols, peace-making Saints, and other constructive examples of peace-building.
You may also contribute to our campaign. Feel free to share your views, quotations, and ideas for this Christmas fast using the hashtag #peaceonearth.
Campaign logo by Basilica.ro / Raluca Emanuela Ene
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