Jesus Christ takes on human form so that we may continually turn our gaze towards Him, affirms His Beatitude Daniel, Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church in his Christmas Pastoral.

'As shepherd, healer, and saviour of souls, the Lord Christ, from the outset of His mission, journeyed from town to town to gather the scattered sheep, provide them with spiritual nourishment, and heal them of every illness and weakness (cf. Matthew 4:23; John 10:11-16). Christ, the Traveller and Pilgrim, who moves throughout the world to gather and save humanity, declares: 'Foxes have dens and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head' (Matthew 8:20). Yet His words do not speak of a lack of a home, but of His sacred and unceasing missionary work. He traverses the world, seeking those who live fleetingly in it, in order to bestow upon them eternal life in the Heavenly Kingdom of the Most Holy Trinity,' Patriarch Daniel writes in the Pastoral published by the Basilica News Agency of the Romanian Patriarchate.

His Beatitude speaks of Christ as a pilgrim in the world, who comes to us under the guise of any human being.

'During His earthly life, Christ the Lord appeared to us as a traveller or pilgrim. Even after His death and resurrection, He journeyed to Emmaus as an unknown pilgrim to Luke and Cleopas, revealing Himself only after they invited Him into their home (cf. Luke 24:29-31). In this way, He shows that God travels the world in a hidden manner, coming to us under the guise of anyone who needs our help. Jesus Christ takes human form so that we may continually turn our face towards Him,' the Patriarch explains.

Since the mystery of the Nativity of the Lord Jesus Christ reveals the incarnate Son of God as both traveller and herald in the world, Romanian Orthodox Christians have seen Christmas carol singers as messengers of God's love for the world.

'Carol singers symbolically represent the angels who announced to the shepherds in Bethlehem the joy of Christ's birth, but also Christ Himself, who brings us the joy of God's love for humanity and awaits our response, with joy and love, to God's call. This is the spiritual meaning of our Christmas carols and of the pastoral visits of priests bringing the Nativity icon into the homes of the faithful,' the high-ranking Orthodox hierarch notes.

The Patriarch calls for humble and merciful love towards all people, following Christ's example.

'In contemporary society, marked by secularisation or spiritual indifference, there is an increasing need to renew the call for every Christian, cleric or layperson, to be, like the angels and shepherds of Bethlehem, messengers or apostles of Christ's merciful love in the world. Therefore, the Church encourages us all to become carol singers, witnesses, and heralds of Christ the Messiah, who came into the world to grant us peace and joy, salvation, life, and eternal happiness! May the Lord Christ, Lover of humanity and Saviour of our souls, help us, through His grace, to show His humble and merciful love to all people, especially to poor children, the sick, and the elderly, and to pour His holy peace and joy into the hearts and homes of all, as He once gave to the angels and shepherds in Bethlehem,' Patriarch Daniel conveys.

As in previous years, at the turn of the year — on the night of 31 December 2025 to 1 January 2026, and on New Year's Day — Patriarch Daniel encourages 'prayers of thanksgiving to God for the blessings received in 2025, which has passed, and to ask for His help in all good and beneficial works in the New Year ahead.'

'Let us also remember in our prayers all Romanians who are abroad, far from home, to maintain the unity of faith and nation,' His Beatitude adds.

On the occasion of the Holy Feast of the Nativity of the Lord, the New Year 2026, and the Baptism of the Lord, Patriarch Daniel sends everyone 'wishes of health and salvation, peace and joy, happiness, and abundant help from God in every good deed, following the guidance of the 'holy and good carol': 'And now I leave you, be healthy / And joyful at Christmas, / But do not forget, when you are merry, / Romanian, to be good!'.

'Happy New Year!' concludes His Beatitude Daniel, Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church. AGERPRES (RO - writing by: Daniel Popescu; EN - writing by: Simona Iacob)