Archbishop Hilarion: the Nativity of Christ is a special feast perceived by the faithful as a winter Pascha as the same gracious joy comes to our hearts

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On 10 January 2010, Archbishop Hilarion of Volokolamsk, chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate Department for external church relations, celebrated the Divine Liturgy at the Church of the 'Joy to All the Afflicted" Icon of the Mother of God in Bolshaya Ordynka str., Moscow. Concelebrating were the DECR deputy chairmen archpriest Nikolai Balashov and hieromonk Philipp (Ryabykh), the ordained DECR staff members, and clerics of the church.

The parishioners and the DECR staff members worshipped, sharing the joy of the feast with the chairman. Hierodeacon Stefan (Igumnov) was ordained hieromonk.

Hegumen Filaret (Tambovsky) greeted Archbishop Hilarion after the dismissal, saying, "I congratulate you with the radiant feast of the Nativity of Christ on behalf of the clergy, the church council and laymen of our parish. Dear Vladyka, you have devoted your life from your green years to Christ. Your have dedicated yourself completely to God and ministry to the Church and the Fatherland. Wherever you have been, in whatever countries you have been sent by the Church to serve, your have received these obediences as if from the All-Seeing God. Your never asked for anything, no retreated from your duties.

"On this remarkable day I wish you good health, the almighty help of God in your difficult and versatile activities as Chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate Department for external church relations and as rector of this old church in which you have revived an excellent church choir and divine services according to the Ordo." Hegumen Filaret also congratulated Archbishop Hilarion on the upcoming anniversary of his episcopal consecration to be celebrated on January 14 and presented him with episcopal vestments as a gift from the clerics and parishioners.

"Many Years" was proclaimed to the Chairman of the Moscow Patriarchate Department for external church relations.

Archbishop Hilarion expressed his gratitude for the greetings and said, "Worshipping today are clergymen and parishioners of our church and also priests and laymen who work with me at the Moscow Patriarchate Department for external church relations. I cordially greet you, my co-workers and associates and thank you for an opportunity to fulfill our difficult duties at the Department by the Providence of God and with the blessing of church authorities.

"We are rejoicing in the event that has been imprinted on human history. There would have been nor Church, neither us as its members and Orthodox Christians without the Nativity of Christ. We rejoice and praise the incarnation of God the Word Who became man to save all and open up a way to salvation and deification.

" On this radiant day we feel that God is particularly close to us. God became an infant to sanctify the infancy. He grew up and His spirit was strengthened so that we, as children and young people, as well as our children and grandchildren could be strengthened by His grace. He endured temptations and trials so that we could be strong in our trials and sorrows. He ascended to the Cross, suffered and died for our sins in order to bring us to eternal life and salvation.

"The nativity of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ is a special feast, which the believers perceive as a winter Pascha as our hearts are filled with the same joy."

Archbishop Hilarion congratulated the clerics of the Church of the "Joy to All Afflicted" Icon of the Mother of God and said that they serve at a most populous parish of the capital city.

"Today, with God's help, we are reviving the traditions of this church, a tradition of excellent choir singing among them," he underscored and told the worshippers that His Holiness Patriarch Kirill gave his blessing to name the church choir the Moscow Synodal Choir. Archbishop Hilarion believes this to be a testimony to the revival of the traditions of the choir that used to sing here ninety years ago, before the revolution.

"I bring special greeting to hieromonk Stefan (Igumnov) whom I tonsured at the Laura of the Holy Trinity and St. Sergius the day before yesterday and ordained today. I wish you, dear father Stefan, God's help in your priestly ministry and in monastic spiritual life. May the Lord strengthen you in your service, and may the spiritual power never exhaust in you and the grace of God always abides in you as we can fulfill our duty only with the help of the Lord."