Building bridges of peace: Orthodox Christmas Celebrated in Sarajevo

Following the service, the Archpriest-Stavrophore and Dean of Sarajevo, Prof. Dr. Vladimir Stupar, read the Christmas Encyclical of Serbian Patriarch Porfirije. In the message, the head of the Serbian Orthodox Church called upon the faithful to build bridges of understanding, love, and peace among themselves at all costs.

The encyclical emphasized that Christmas is a holiday of peace, and that the angelic Christmas song is a prayer for peace, unity, and reconciliation, grounded in faith in God and living according to His will.

"Today’s humanity, more than ever, needs to return to the source of peace that is not imposed by force, but is revealed in humility, in love that 'does not seek its own,' and in relationships that build trust, community, and respect for every person," the encyclical stated.

The message added that through Christ’s birth, the world receives a measure by which it can understand itself. For this reason, the weight of the current times is felt even more strongly today, a period marked by deepening religious, ethnic, and cultural divisions, rising geopolitical tensions, and wars that are becoming tools for resolving economic and political conflicts.