The Australian Coptic Movement Association (ACM) would like to wish all Orthodox Christians a very happy and Holy Christmas and a blessed New Year.
MERRY CHRISTMAS!
The Australian Coptic Movement Association (ACM) would like to wish all Orthodox Christians a very happy and Holy Christmas and a blessed New Year.
We are deeply thankful for your support and prayers throughout 2018.
This year has been another difficult year for Egypt’s Coptic Christians who continue to be targeted and attacked because of their Christian faith.
This Christmas, please pray for Christian families who are celebrating without loved ones. Pray for widows who are left with no one to provide for them, because the sole provider of their family has been murdered.
As we approach 7 January, we also take time out to remember and pray for the hundreds of families who have been impacted by previous massacres that have occurred at this time. From El-Kosheh to Alexandria, we have many hundreds of families celebrating New Years and Coptic Orthodox Christmas without loved ones at their dinner table. In the majority of cases, the murderers are roaming the streets freely as no one is ever sentenced for these terrible crimes.
Whilst the majority of Christians celebrate Christmas on 25 December, we note that a sizeable population of Orthodox Christians in the world (including Coptic Orthodox Christians) will be celebrating Christmas on the 7th of January. The majority of Orthodox Christians use the Julian calendar, created under the reign of Julius Caesar in 45 BC, and have not adopted the Gregorian calendar, proposed by Latin Pope Gregory of Rome in 1582. There are 13 days in difference between the two calendars. December 25 on the Julian calendar actually falls on January 7 on the Gregorian calendar. So strictly speaking, Christmas is still kept on December 25, which just happens to fall 13 days later on the Julian calendar.
Whatever date you may celebrate Christmas, let us all remember that the birth of Christ brings a message of love, charity, hope and compassion on others.
May we never lose sight of our persecuted brothers and sisters.
From all the team at the ACM, THANK YOU for your support throughout the year.
God bless you,
The ACM team.
