In Christmas message, Archbishop tells faithful not to forget their fighting spirit

In his Christmas message, Archbishop Chrysostomos called on the faithful not to forget their fighting spirit because the “behaviour of the invader” does not allow for any complacency.

The message read out in churches on Christmas Day said: “This year is 47th year that we celebrate Christmas with a divided country and a third of the people uprooted from their ancestral homes as well as persons who are still missing.”

The Archbishop said Christ came to earth to protect the wronged and to help those who fight for justice, ” which allows us not to lose hope”.

“But it is imperative that we continue our struggle with our eyes fixed on Christ and with unwavering faith in the irresistible force of our right to continue our struggle,” he added.

He said people should not forget their fighting spirit “because the invader does not allow us any complacency at all”.

” We must remain united and immovable in claiming our rights, rigid and unyielding in our demand for the removal of the occupying troops, the return of refugees to their ancestral homes and at the same time prepare defensively for any eventual dynamic confrontation.”