Iran felicitates Christians on Jesus Christ’s birth anniversary
Iran congratulates Christians across the world on the birth anniversary of Jesus Christ (PBUH) on December 25.
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani offered congratulations to the Pope of the Roman Catholic Church, Pope Francis and heads of state across the world on the birthday anniversary of the prophet (PBUH) and advent of the new Christian year.
In separate congratulatory messages on Sunday, Rouhani said, “I hope we can take big steps in the path of developing peace, justice, equality and brotherhood and moderation by taking advantage of the teachings of the prophets and relying on the principle of peaceful coexistence.”
At the end of his message, the president wished a New Year full of blessings and felicity for the entire world and wished that the Almighty God would bestow health, well-being and prosperity on all nations and their governments.
The auspicious occasion is an annual commemoration and a widely observed cultural holiday, celebrated generally on December 25 by billions of people around the world.
In a message on Saturday, Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif congratulated the Christian community of Iran and the world on the occasion.
He hoped that all would accept Christ’s global message of peace in the coming New Year.
“‘The angels said, Mary, God gives you glad-tidings of a Word from Him whose name is Christ, Jesus, son of Mary; highly honored in this world and the next’ Quran, 3:45. A very happy and peaceful Christmas to all. May Christ’s universal message of peace be embraced in the coming year,” Zarif said in a Twitter message.
Western Christians first celebrated Christmas on December 25 in 336, after Emperor Constantine had declared Christianity the empire’s favored religion. Eastern churches, however, held on to January 6 as the date for Christ’s birth and his baptism. Most easterners eventually adopted December 25, celebrating Christ’s birth on the earlier date and his baptism on the latter, but the Armenian Church celebrates his birth on January 6. Incidentally, the Western church celebrates Epiphany on January 6, but as the arrival date of the Magi rather than as the date of Christ’s baptism.