Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Awali (Agenzia Fides) - "Christmas is a celebration of joy, of peace. It is a time in which we recognize Jesus as the Son of God. It is essential for all of us to understand that Christmas is a gift of love, a gift that comes to us from God through Jesus, involving us in the love of the Holy Trinity". This is what Bishop Aldo Berardi, Apostolic Vicar of Northern Arabia, expressed when he wished all the communities of faithful of the Vicariate to receive this gift from the Lord in the depths of their hearts. "With deep joy we celebrate Christmas, the coming of the Lord in the flesh, this wonderful holiday in which we receive blessings and new opportunities to be children of God through Jesus Christ," the bishop expressed in his Christmas message addressed to the Catholic community of the Vicariate. "I would like all your families, communities and parishes of the Vicariate to live these days in harmony, immersed in songs, celebrations, exchange of gifts and in all the traditions that enrich the celebration of this unique moment that is Christmas. For us, this holiday is of great importance, for which we have prepared ourselves and now we celebrate with hope the arrival of Jesus, a gift for all of us, since He is the Light and the Way" the bishop concluded in his message. In 2011, the Holy See redesigned the ecclesiastical circumscriptions in the countries of the Arabian Peninsula, expanding the jurisdiction of the Apostolic Vicariate of Kuwait to the territories of Bahrain, Qatar and Saudi Arabia, the only country that still lacks Churches. Thus was born the Apostolic Vicariate of North Arabia, which today includes more than two million faithful of the Latin, Syro-Malabar, Syro-Malankar, Maronite and Coptic rites. (AP) (Agenzia Fides, 21/12/2023)
