For many Christians of the East the 7th of January is Christmas Day. I am a Orthodox Christian and the Church day begins at sunset. Since the sun has set where I am it's Christmas.
As you may have read Christians in many parts of the world are coming under attack in their Churches. A Coptic Church in Alexandria was bombed last weekend with many deaths
What you may not know that an open threat has been issued against the Coptic Christians to disrupt and attack their Celebration of the Nativity.
This threat includes not only the Copts in Africa and the Middle East but extends to European and North American Copts as well.
Let us pray the celebrations of the Prince of Peace remains peaceful.
What is for certain in many places it will be somewhat subdued.
As you may have read Christians in many parts of the world are coming under attack in their Churches. A Coptic Church in Alexandria was bombed last weekend with many deaths
What you may not know that an open threat has been issued against the Coptic Christians to disrupt and attack their Celebration of the Nativity.
This threat includes not only the Copts in Africa and the Middle East but extends to European and North American Copts as well.
Let us pray the celebrations of the Prince of Peace remains peaceful.
What is for certain in many places it will be somewhat subdued.
Hope you have a wonderful Christmas :)
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas Andrei.
ReplyDeleteHi Andrei - I was just about to ask you a question of the Orthodox Christmas date but you post has just answered it. Tomorrow (Friday 7th) I plan to go to Bethlehem (currently touring Israel and now in Jerusalem) and a person at the hotel mentioned that it might be Christmas tomorrow for the Eastern Orthodox Church hence my initial intent to check with you. Well of course my objective is to visit the Church of the Nativity which is an Eastern Orthodox Church, so it is quite a coincidence I now learn that my visit will coincide with the Orthodox Christmas. This could be good (if I get to witness also some Christmas celebrations there) or bad (if there is no chance I can get into the Church). Either way I am excited about the visit and what may come of it. Seems I may have saved the best to last as on Saturday I fly back home to Madrid.
ReplyDeleteI hope you have a great Christmas, too, Andrei.
ReplyDeleteSean, I would be very interested in your experience of Bethlehem tomorrow. Any chance of writing a guest post?
Hi Lucyna - I'll put something together and you can see if it's interesting enough. Please send an email to me at sean@ihug.co.nz so I have your email address.
ReplyDelete