Embrace peace, love and unity this X-mas

Christians around the world today mark Christmas Day – an annual festival commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ over 2,000 years ago. This is one of the world’s biggest religious and cultural celebrations. It is a public holiday in many parts of the world, and is celebrated culturally by a large number of non-Christian people too. Christmas is an integral part of the end of the year holiday season.

Popular customs on this day include exchanging of presents, completing an Advent calendar or Advent wreath, Christmas music and caroling, lighting a Christingle, an exchange of Christmas cards, church services, a special meal, and the display of various Christmas decorations, including Christmas trees, Christmas lights, nativity scenes, garlands, wreaths, mistletoe, and holly.

In addition, several closely-related and often interchangeable figures, known as Santa Claus, Father Christmas, Saint Nicholas, and Christkind, are associated with bringing gifts to children and have their own body of traditions and lore.

Most importantly though, the key message is peace. We would like to underline this regionally and internationally as well. Just next door – in Burundi – things are not going very well. There is civil strife. Similarly, people in the Middle East, Palestine and Israel pass through one of the most challenging times of their lives as warfare has, over the years now, been the order of the day in their countries. Their tough experience highlights a dark age in human history. The dignity of people is dishonoured. Human beings are slaughtered in thousands.

We would like to re-emphasise our support for local, regional and international efforts geared towards ending these wars for the sake of world peace. This is the central message defining Christmas Day everywhere. Let’s all call for an end to warfare and embrace peace.