Never in the history of humankind has peace among peoples been a condition taken for granted. Instead, it was everywhere and always the result of inspired initiatives, of courage and self-sacrifice, of resistance to violence and rejection of war as a means of resolving differences, and a perpetual struggle for justice and protection of human dignity, said the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew in his Patriarchal Encyclical for Christmas 2022.

This year, for the first time in history, the Ecumenical Patriarch published Patriarchal Encyclical for Christmas in the Macedonian language, congratulating Orthodox Christians in Macedonia on the birth of Christ in their native language.

The contribution of religions to peace and reconciliation is the primary criterion for their reliability. Undoubtedly, in religious traditions, there is an incentive not only for internal peace but also for the promotion and establishment of peace in society, by overcoming aggression in the relationships between individuals and nations, said Bartholomew.