Each year, bishops and archbishops throughout the Anglican Communion write Christmas greetings to their people. Here are several such greetings, reflecting Anglicanism’s geographical and theological range.
Archbishops Justin Duckworth, Don Tamihere, and Sione Ulu’ilakepa
Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand, and Polynesia
When times are hard and uncertain, we can sometimes lose hope and struggle to imagine a better future. That’s why the story of the birth of Jesus is such an important and relevant sign for us.
Every year we are gifted the blessing of returning to the Christmas season and to the lessons that the story of the birth of Jesus holds for us. Every year we are reminded just how relevant the story of the Christ child remains.
The Ven. J.W. Kofi deGraft-Johnson
General Secretary of the Council of Anglican Provinces of Africa
In the light of the manger, we are reminded that God’s hope enters our world in humility, transforming darkness with a love that knows no bounds.
As the Anglican family across Africa, we are called to reflect this transforming love in our communities. Let the joy of this season renew our shared commitment to unity, compassion, and faithful service. May the Prince of Peace guide our fellowship, strengthen our partnerships, and inspire our witness.
The Most Rev. Ezekiel Kondo
Archbishop of the Episcopal Church of Sudan and Bishop of Khartoum
During this happy occasion, humanly speaking, it is very difficult to say Happy Christmas to someone who has been under fire for 32 months. When the families have lost their loved ones, and who were forced to leave their homes to live as refugees and Internally Displaced.
But Godly speaking, God is still on the throne, Mighty and loving. Jesus is the hope of Sudan and for the whole world. His birth was to bring hope and joy to the fallen and the suffering world. The angels spoke the words of hope and joy to the shepherds: “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger. Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests” (Luke 2:10-14).
At this important event of Christmas celebration, I reaffirm the appeal the Bishops of Episcopal Church of Sudan. The world has been and is in a big trouble and people are afraid because of evil in the world. They don’t know and have not believed in Jesus as their Hope, the Savior and the Prince of Peace to the world. In Christmas, God came in human form to identify with human beings and to bring order, justice, peace, joy, unity, and life to all people.
The Most Rev. Laurent Mbanda
Archbishop and Primate of Rwanda and Chairman of GAFCON
The coming of Jesus into the world did not happen because space was made for him, but because he chose to enter our broken world. The Son of God entered his own creation not amid welcome and recognition, but amid rejection, displacement, and neglect.
That truth should give us pause.
For there are times when the Church herself can begin to resemble the inn—busy, occupied, confident in her own arrangements—yet leaving no room for Jesus and his Word. Under false shepherds, the voice of the true Shepherd is sidelined. Faithful witness is crowded out. Obedience is treated as disruption. And those who seek to hold fast to the gospel are told, in effect, that there is no room.
Yet Christmas proclaims this unshakable hope: Jesus is not hindered by closed doors. God’s purposes are not thwarted by human refusal. The child laid in the manger is the Lord of history, and his kingdom will not fail.
The Most Rev. Dr. Maimbo Mndolwa
Archbishop and Primate of Tanzania
At Christmas we recall that Jesus was a refugee: in these divisive political times, let’s come together as Anglicans around work that is really important, enabling refugees and displaced people to have lives of dignity and hope.
Working alongside refugees and displaced people is the kind of thing we can focus on together as Anglicans in the current challenging global context—rolling up our sleeves and offering a more generous vision, based on our shared humanity. We will be urging the global leadership of the Communion to give this the highest priority as we enter 2026.
The Rt. Rev. Sarah Mullally
Bishop of London and Archbishop-Elect of Canterbury
This Christmas, there are individual homes, faith communities, and charitable initiatives where strangers who don’t quite fit into the neat nuclear structures of our societal arrangements sit down to share food, stories, longings, tender care, and raw human connection. Regardless of relationship, belief, place of origin, social class, or financial means, all are welcome.
And there, with fragile tenacity, Christ is born once again. Present among us, in people whom society has isolated, forgotten or ignored, where inconvenience is overridden by loving hospitality. How we respond to one another’s needs and predicaments defines what sort of people we are, what sort of community we are building, what sort of society we want to be and what sort of God we believe in—whether and where we notice Christ’s presence and welcome him in.
The Rt. Rev. Anthony Poggo
Secretary General of the Anglican Communion
This year, Christians marked the 1,700th anniversary of the first Council of Nicaea—the council that gave us the Nicene Creed. That Creed affirms the central beliefs we share across so many church traditions. It connects us—across cultures, centuries and continents—reminding us that Christ calls his Church to be one.
In recent days, we’ve seen this call to unity powerfully embodied by Pope Leo XIV (from the Catholic Church) and Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I (from the Orthodox Church). During an ecumenical pilgrimage in Turkey, they signed a joint declaration—reaffirming a commitment to work toward the unity of their churches. In doing so, they modelled the same spirit of reconciliation that guided the church fathers at Nicaea 17 centuries ago. They also made a strong appeal for peace, urging global leaders to end the tragedy of war.
At Christmas, their declaration challenges us to remember that Christian unity must always bear fruit in our witness to the world. The Book of Isaiah tells us: “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
The Most Rev. Sean W. Rowe
Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church
The Anglican poet T.S. Eliot wrote a poem about that arduous journey from the perspective of one of the Magi, recounting, among other things, the difficulty of getting camels to do as they are told. The three kings’ encounter with the newborn son of God was hard, disruptive, and unsettling. And when they returned home—by a different road to elude capture by Herod—it no longer felt like home. In Eliot’s retelling, the first Christmas turned the Magis’ lives upside down, and they had mixed feelings about the whole experience.
You might be greeting Christmas this year with the awe of the shepherds or the wariness of the Magi. Either way, the Gospel reminds us that Jesus came both to experience all of the joy, uncertainty, and brokenness of our humanity, and to bring God’s kingdom near. The birth of the Christ Child heralds a new reality in which the last shall be first, the hungry will be fed, and the stranger among us shall be welcomed as a beloved child of God.
The Most Rev. Mark Short
Archbishop and Primate of Australia
Here is the wonder of Christmas: the vulnerable baby lying in the feed-trough is also God’s eternal Word. This Word is powerful enough to hold together the entire universe; strong enough to still a raging storm, mighty enough to defeat sin and death forever.
Where do we find the strength to confront the kind of evil that was unleashed on Bondi Beach the evening of Sunday, December 14? Perhaps where we least expect to do so: in the light of the world, whose apparent weakness is strong enough to give life and hope and a future to all who believe in Him. Even now He commissions His followers to bring that same light to their world by mourning with those who mourn and by making peace (see Matt. 5:1-16).
The Most Rev. Philip G. Wright
Archbishop of the Church in the Province of the West Indies
The true meaning of Christmas is found in the peaceful marvel of God’s love shown through the birth of the Christ child. Christmas teaches us that light shines most vividly amid darkness and hope can be found in the simplest aspects of life. It encourages us to appreciate our blessings, cherish meaningful moments and relationships, and seek opportunities to show kindness and love.
Let this time refresh our hearts with gratitude, peace, and a renewed sense of purpose. May we carry these values beyond December, making each day a testimony to God’s enduring love and joy.
