My dear Montenegrins in Montenegro and abroad,
dear citizens and dear friends

In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, I greet you with the most beautiful Christian greetings

CHRIST IS BORN ! INDEED, HE IS BORN !

Since the Montenegrin people embraced Christianity, Christmas has been celebrated with special respect in Montenegro.

Today, the Universe rejoices in the birth of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the main figure of human history, the Savior and restorer of life on Earth.

We gathered today in the Montenegrin Capital – Cetinje, standing beside the Montenegrin Christmas Eve Oak, to remember the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ, the most solemn day in the history of the human race.

Blessed are those who came to worship him at the Holy Liturgy, receive Holy Communion, blood and body of the Lord Jesus Christ in this Holy Temple in Cetinje, dedicated to the Venerable Montenegrin Lord Ivan Crnojević, who founded this Holy Temple more than 500 years ago, which is more than 1oo years under the occupation of the Serbian Orthodox Church from Belgrade, those people and priests who love Christ with Judas’ kisses.

The Montenegrin people are returning en masse to their original tradition and spiritual values. The Christmas Eve Oak (that sacred tree, which also warmed Christ in the Bethlehem cave) is laid on fire all over Montenegro on Christmas Eve, testifying that the Montenegrin people know the eternal truth, that the Montenegrin Orthodox Church here is the only guardian of the Orthodox Christian faith we received by our ancestors.

The Montenegrin Orthodox Church, in its centuries-old spiritual history and deep Christian piety, has advocated and continues to advocate for peace, harmony, brotherhood and equality among people. Our church is guided by the Holy Gospel (Holy Scripture):

“One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism” (Ephesians, Ch. 4, verse 5).

In honor of the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ, Savior, I greet you all and bless you with wish to celebrate Christmas Day and Christmas in love, peace and harmony, as the people of Montenegro have done for centuries.

Holy greetings to all:

CHRIST IS BORN ! INDEED, HE IS BORN !

ARCHBISHOP OF CETINJE AND METROPOLITAN OF MONTENEGRO
† M I H A I L O