In his Christmas video message, Patriarch Daniel of the Romanian Orthodox Church reflects on the mystery of the Incarnation as God’s saving descent into human history, emphasising that Christmas is fundamentally a celebration of forgiveness, peace, and communion among people.
Recalling the prophecies of Isaiah and Micah, the Patriarch of Romania underscores that the birth of Jesus Christ in Bethlehem was foretold centuries in advance and fulfilled “for the forgiveness of sins and eternal heavenly life.”
Quoting the angelic hymn sung at the Nativity—“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill among men”—Patriarch Daniel highlights Christmas as a feast of divine glorification and reconciliation, calling believers to welcome it with “faith, hope, and generous love.” Such an attitude, he says, has the power to bring peace and joy not only to individual souls, but also to families, parishes, communities, society, and the world at large.
Concluding his message, Patriarch Daniel extends pastoral wishes for health, happiness, peace, and joy on the occasion of the Nativity of the Lord, the Baptism of the Lord, and the New Year 2026, offering the traditional greeting, “Many happy years!”
Please find below the full text and the video recording of His Beatitude’s message.
Patriarch Daniel’s Christmas & New Year 2026 Message: Let us cultivate faith, peace and communion
To grant humanity the forgiveness of sins and eternal heavenly life, the eternal Son of God, Jesus Christ, descended from heaven, was conceived by the work of the Holy Spirit of the Virgin Mary, and was born as a Child-Man in Bethlehem of Judea, as foretold seven hundred years earlier by the prophets Isaiah (7:14) and Micah (5:1).
At the birth of the Infant Jesus, a multitude of angels from heaven sang: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill among men” (Luke 2:14). Therefore, the Feast of the Nativity of the Lord Jesus Christ, or Christmas, is the feast of the glorification of God, of peace on earth, and of goodwill—or communion—among people.
If we welcome this feast with faith, hope, and generous love, it brings peace and joy to the soul, to the family, to the parish, to the monastery, to every community or institution, to society, to the nation, and to the whole world.
On the occasion of the holy feasts of the Nativity of the Lord, the Baptism of the Lord, and the New Year—2026, we address to you all our wishes for health and happiness, peace and joy, together with the traditional greeting: “Many happy years!”
† DANIEL
Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church
Photo: Lumina Newspaper / Luigi Ivanciu
