Armenian Apostolic Holy Church The Mother See of Holy Etchmiadzin

Beloved Faithful, On this radiant Feast of the Nativity and Theophany of our Lord Jesus Christ, gathered beneath the sacred arches of our holy churches, we glorify Almighty God, who, in His boundless love and mercy toward humanity, sent His Only-Begotten Son to liberate mankind from the chains of sin and death. “You came with ineffable humility for the salvation of mankind, O King of Glory.” exclaims the hymnographer. Today, the wondrous event of the Holy Nativity rises anew before our eyes. The King of Glory, enthroned in celestial heights, is born in a humble manger. Hearing the angelic proclamation of the Savior’s Nativity, the simple-hearted shepherds bow before the Divine Infant, while the wise magi worship the Redeemer, who, through divine providence, guides humanity toward grace, goodwill and harmony. The miraculous Holy Nativity of the Son of God is an incomprehensible mystery—unfathomable to the mind, yet knowable and perceivable through faith. The Savior humbled Himself and assumed flesh to elevate human hearts and minds from the material to the spiritual and divine. The Immortal became mortal to show humanity the path to true life and eternity, according to His word: “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life” (John 14:6). Even today, the radiant Bethlehem Star marks the path of hope for salvation in a world troubled by trials. The night of the Holy Nativity testifies that even amidst the darkness of tribulations, God’s light shines forth, and the Sun of Righteousness rises, as Christ is named in both hymn and prophecy (Malachi 4:2). To go forth and meet Christ, to live by His commandments, exalts and strengthens both individuals and nations, rendering them worthy of divine blessings and gifts. By receiving the swaddled Son of God, humanity is clothed with the grace of salvation, which becomes an inexhaustible fountain of heavenly blessings in the life of every believer. Yet, the rejection of God’s path places humanity before evils and destructive threats.