Merry Christmas

 Your birth, O Christ our God,

 dawned the light of knowledge upon the earth.

 For by Your birth those who adored stars

 were taught by a star

 to worship You, the Sun of Justice,

 and to know You, Orient from on High.

 O Lord, glory to You

   Orthodox chants. Feast of the Nativity of Our Lord Jesus Christ

Troparion of the Nativity

Dear Friends of Caritas St. Petersburg,

 it's Christmas again! The perfect Christmas tree was purchased and is now facing the window. Everyone is preparing for Christmas. The shops are full of consumers looking for gifts. But as a Christian shouldn’t you ask yourself: What would Jesus himself think of this celebration?

 “For us, God has become a gift. He has given himself. He has entered time for us. He who is the Eternal One, above time, he has assumed our time and raised it to himself on high. Christmas has become the Feast of gifts in imitation of God who has given himself to us. Let us allow our heart, our soul and our mind to be touched by this fact! Among the many gifts that we buy and receive, let us not forget the true gift: to give each other something of ourselves, to give each other something of our time, to open our time to God. In this way anxiety disappears, joy is born, and the feast is created.”

Solemnity of the Nativity of the Lord. Homily of his Holiness Benedict XVI, Saint Peter's Basilica, Sunday, 24 December 2006

 We thank you, our dear friends, for your real Christmas gift: for your time and attention that you have given us throughout the whole year and are giving now. Due to your solidarity, your compassion and your care for the poor in Russia, we are able to continue to help all those who are in need.

 Today we can face the future with hope and thank God that you are with us.

 We wish you a Merry Christmas, which gives us joy and fill our hearts with hope, faith and love. We wish you peace, kindness, good health, good luck with your work, and a prosperous New Year 2013!

 Sincerely yours,

Natalia Pevtsova

and all employees of Caritas St. Petersburg