Bishop of Southern Bessarabia’s Christmas pastoral letter: A call to compassion and unity

In his pastoral letter for Christmas, which is celebrated in the Metropolis of Bessarabia on January 7 according to the unrevised Julian calendar, Bishop Veniamin of Southern Bessarabia urged believers to embody God’s compassionate love for those in suffering.

“Let us become the hands of God’s merciful love for our neighbors in distress, and like the healing saints we have invoked throughout 2024, let us pray for the sick,the Bishop encouraged.

Bringing Healing Through Christ

The Bishop called on the faithful to guide those in need to Christ, the healer of both body and soul.

“Let us bring them to Christ, the doctor of our souls and bodies, laying them at His feet so that, by His touch, they may be healed of all their illnesses and quench their hunger and thirst for Him,he wrote.

Unity Among Brothers

Bishop Veniamin prayed for increased love and unity among people and urged the multiplication of good deeds.

“We invite the Infant Jesus into our lives to help us preserve love and unity among brothers, to multiply good works, and to protect us from those who seek to divide us and steal our identity and history. These forces aim to keep us in the darkness of well-disguised ideologies, distorting historical truth and the hardships endured by Bessarabia over the past two centuries,he cautioned.

Overcoming Challenges with Faith

The Bishop expressed confidence in divine assistance to overcome current national difficulties.

“We trust that God will help us navigate the challenges our country faces and affirm with dignity that we are the descendants of a proud lineage—rulers who built holy places and culture, defenders of faith at the gates of Europe, inspired and supported by God in our endeavors,he affirmed.

Milestones in 2025

Concluding his letter, Bishop Veniamin informed the faithful about significant events in 2025, marking 140 years since the Romanian Orthodox Church’s autocephaly was recognized and 100 years since its elevation to patriarchal status.

Orthodox Christians in the Republic of Moldova celebrate the Nativity of the Lord on January 7, adhering to the unrevised Julian calendar.

Photo: Diocese of Southern Bessarabia


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