A special ceremony was held on the night of December 24 at the Saint Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church in the Iskenderun district of Hatay, on the occasion of the “Christmas Feast”, which celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ. A magnificent ceremony was also held at the Iskenderun Annunciation Latin Catholic Church.
Church Fathers Dimitri Yıldırım and Yusuf Nicholas Papasoğlu conducted the Christmas Mass in the St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church. In addition to Christians living in Iskenderun, Muslim citizens also participated in the ceremony and shared the joy of the Christian world.
Speaking at the Christmas Mass, Father Dimitri Yıldırım wished that the Christmas Feast in Turkey and all over the world; would be a means of peace, unity and solidarity. Father Yildirim in his speech in the mass said; “As God loves us, let’s give gifts to our loved ones, to each other, and especially to our children. When we think of Christmas, we think of love, respect, peace, happiness and humility. We wish from the Lord God that Christmas Feast will bring peace, peace, abundance and happiness to the world, especially to Turkey, our state, our nation. Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas.”
Christmas Feast Celebrated with Enthusiasm at the Iskenderun Catholic Church
Celebrated on the night of December 24 by the Christians around the world, Christmas was celebrated with enthusiasm in Iskenderun as well. A magnificent ceremony was held at the Iskenderun Annunciation Latin Catholic Church due to the Christmas Feast.
Church Father Dariusz Dogondke and Hatay Armenian Churches Religious Officer Avedis Tabashyan accompanied the ceremony led by the Anatolian Apostle Vicar and Bishop Paolo Bizzeti.
Some Muslim citizens who participated in the mass, which was held later in the night, to which Christians from Iskenderun participated, also shared the Christmas joy of Christians from Iskenderun. Messages of peace were also given during the ritual in which the hymns were read.
In the service where the Church Choir sang the Christmas Hymns with enthusiasm, the members of the congregation accompanied these hymns and lived the feast enthusiasm to the fullest. At the cocktail held in the hall of the church after the service, everyone who attended the ceremony celebrated each other’s holidays, and the ‘Christmas enthusiasm’ was experienced to the fullest with the treats.
A mass was also held in the Greek Orthodox Church of Saints Peter and Paul in Antakya, on the occasion of the Christmas Feast. Christians in Antakya celebrated Christmas with enthusiasm with a holy liturgy held in the church.
The Christmas Mass, which was held online last year without the participation of the members of the congregation due to the pandemic measures, was also held in Antakya with intense participation this year. The ritual, in which the members of the Antakya Congregation showed great interest, started with the lighting of candles and prayers.
While Fathers Jan Delüller and Dimitri Doğum were co-directing the ritual in the Antakya Orthodox Church, the citizens who came to the church for the Christmas Mass lit their candles and prayed together for world peace.
Fadi Hurigil, President of the Congregational Foundation of the Antakya Orthodox Church, stated that citizens from different religions and sects from many parts of Turkey participated.
After the service, a cocktail was given in the church garden. Christian citizens of Antakya, who participated in the cake cutting as a nativity celebration, celebrated each other’s Christmas with a fireworks display. (SAT-7 Turk/İlyas Edip TERBİYELİ-İskenderun)
