In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, one God, Amen.

Happy New Year and A Glorious Feast of Nativity.

I am pleased to share this Nativity message with you for the new year 2026. First, I would like to congratulate you all on the glorious Feast of Nativity. I congratulate you and all our Coptic churches throughout the world. I congratulate all the Coptic dioceses in every continent: in Africa, Asia, Europe, North and South America, and Australia. I congratulate all the families, the youth, and all the deacons, As well as all the fathers; the priests, the metropolitans and the bishops.

Each year, on the glorious feast of Nativity, we reflect on its meaning. Among the well-known human experiences in life is the giving of gifts Indeed, the events of the Birth of our Lord Jesus Christ and His Incarnation in Bethlehem present us with a new understanding of the concept of a gift. A gift is a human and social act, recognized by all. Gifts vary between material gifts, moral gifts, tangible gifts, and verbal gifts such as poetry and praise, and so on. In the Nativity story, we encounter three types of gifts: the gift of joy, the gift of covering, and the gift of love. We view these three gifts in the various events of the Nativity.

Regarding the gift of joy, we first see the star, which some fathers said was not an ordinary astronomical star, but rather “an angel” according to Saint John Chrysostom. The star was a sign in the sky. (Matthew 2: 2) This sign was a gift not to individuals, but to nations. The nations from which the Magi came, who were wise men and interested in astronomy, astronomical calculations, and the calculation of days. The star was a guiding and leading star, moving with the Magi until it settled above the manger in Bethlehem. It was a gift from heaven, a gift of joy.

I want you to imagine with me how the Magi were traveling, contemplating on the star. Of course, in those days, the roads were very limited. There was no GPS, paved roads, airplanes, or cars. The star was the hero of the show. It was a gift from heaven to these Magi, not only for them but for all their people.

Among the gifts of joy that heaven offered in the Nativity story were the angels. In their joy, the angels rejoiced and sang a timeless hymn that we still pray in the liturgy and still remember. Every time we celebrate the Nativity, we remember this hymn: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men.” (Luke 2:14) This is a gift. It is not just a verse or a hymn, but in modern language, we call it a roadmap. Human beings should give glory to God, spread peace on earth, and be a source of joy for all those around them. This is a gift. A gift of joy through the angels who sang with great joy.

Another gift of joy was the angel who illuminated the darkness of the night and enlightened the shepherds. He began to tell them about the Birth of our Lord Jesus Christ. Of course, in those days, there were no radios, televisions, or social media, nothing of that sort. But the angel was a joyful messenger, delivering a message of joy: “Today in Bethlehem a Savior has been born to you” (Luke 2:11). It was a message of joy for people who were awake all night in the wilderness. These are all gifts of joy that heaven gave us.

The second type of gifts are those of covering. The word “covering” is a powerful human word and a virtue. When we pray, every time we say, “Thank you, Lord, for You have covered us,” referring to divine protection. Covering is a very great virtue in a person’s life. Blessed is the person who covers their brother or sister, who covers others in their home, in their community, in their service, in their church, and in their country. Covering is a grace and a gift that heaven has given us. Where do we see it? The first place we see it is in the manger. Imagine Saint Joseph the carpenter, advanced in age, an old man, with the young Virgin Mary, who is pregnant and in the final days of her pregnancy They couldn’t find a place for her to give birth to the Child. They went to many places in Bethlehem, and they passed by all the houses, but there was no room. But there was the owner of the manger, and