HIS BEATITUDE THEOPHILOS’ III, SPEECH BEFORE THE PRESIDENT OF ISRAEL FOR THE NEW YEAR 2011

29/12/2010 Mr President, Honourable Ministers, Members of Parliament, Distinguished Guests, “Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; behold, a virgin shall conceive in the womb, and shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Emmanuel”. (Isaiah 7:14) We are highly appreciative of what is a traditional gathering in which we share the Season’s cheerfulness, in particular the Christmas spirit, and impart our messages of hope.Events and gatherings such as this are of great significance both for celebrating the common bonds of our humanity, and for reminding ourselves of those fundamental moral values that are essential to our common life. Humanity today is confronted and confused on every side with dark forces of disrespect and even humiliation.