The President of the Republic of Macedonia, Dr. Gjorge Ivanov, sent a congratulation message to the Archbishop of Ohrid and Macedonia, H.H. Stefan, and to all Christians on the occasion of the great holiday Nativity of Christ - Christmas.

Your Holiness,

Let me congratulate all Orthodox Christians, you personally, the members of the Holy Synod of Bishops and all the clergy and monks, the great holiday of Nativity of Christ - Christmas.

Celebrating the greatest day of all days, the day when the Son of God was born, we recollect everything that is vital and what makes us people. We celebrate the desire - love, peace and mercy to be our guides in becoming better people and better Christians. This holiday reminds us that we need to cherish family and traditional values, spread kindness and compassion, but above all, to be united and in unity to create a better future and a better life for all our citizens.

The Macedonian Orthodox Church, in unity, celebrating the day when the Son of God was born, the day when the life and history of the Christian church began, teaches us to solidarity, kindness and mutual understanding. The church, for many years now, is facing steadfastly the challenges of modern society, protecting and nurturing the traditions, religious and cultural specificities of the Republic of Macedonia. It teaches us to love and compassion, saying that we are all equal before God and that love, tolerance, family values and human kindness always come to those that have and give them to others.

Guided by this belief, we need to upgrade the established values of respect for religious diversity and religious specificities, promoting the humane and Christian principles of peace and unity.

Your Holiness, congratulating you this great Orthodox holiday, I wish you good health, spiritual peace and tranquility, and I wish the members of the Synod and the Orthodox Christian believers happiness and blessing! May the hearts of all of us be filled with love and kindness!

Dr. Gjorge Ivanov