San Marino. The Christmas message of the Regents: “Giving the right meaning to our time to foster interpersonal relationships”
Below is the message from their Excellencies the Captains Regent, Maria Luisa Berti and Manuel Ciavatta, on the occasion of the Christmas holidays.
“Having reached the Christmas holidays, we wish to express to all fellow citizens of the Republic of San Marino, wherever they reside, our most sincere wishes for peace and serenity.
Wishes for peace and serenity which this year – profoundly marked by the war in Ukraine, which indirectly involved all of Europe after already difficult years due to the pandemic – also want to be a strong call for everyone to “choose and follow the path of peace and dialogue”, to resolve any conflict, in the family, in society and between peoples.
This year the Regency has the pleasure of sharing with the citizens the beautiful experience lived with children, young people, teaching and non-teaching staff of all the schools of the Republic, with the elderly at the Day Center and Casale la Fiorina , and with the fellow citizens who use Casa la Rosa, the Atelier, the Colore del Grano and the Libeccio and with all the staff of these realities.
Making eye contact with each other, seeing happiness through a smile, being able to shake hands and converse with them exchanging greetings, as well as demonstrating the value and beauty of this reality, has already introduced us to the deepest essence of Christmas: the joy of meeting.
The event of the birth of the child Jesus and the joy of that encounter have deeply touched the lives of men and women throughout history to come, from the youngest to the sovereigns, changing the geopolitics of the Mediterranean, of the Europe and the rest of the world.
A remarkably significant event to be considered by the peoples as the origin of the time line, from which to count the years of the history of humanity and which marked the life of the Holy Marino so profoundly, as to give rise to the very history of our Republic, which today sees us protagonists – after more than 2000 years – in our history.
A story that badly needs hope and peace, in a time still marked by war and uncertainty for tomorrow.
We turn our thoughts, in particular, to all those who find themselves experiencing this holiday in conditions of suffering, loneliness and difficulty. We join each of you, with sentiments of fraternity, and wish to formulate the most heartfelt wish to find, precisely in the closeness of people and in the concreteness of small gestures, the necessary support to face and overcome such situations.
Generosity, solidarity, the gift of one’s time, resources and energies are concrete gestures that bear witness to the most authentic meaning of Christmas, through which each of us can make his own contribution to generating a society that is as welcoming as possible.
We must rediscover how to give the right meaning to our time to foster interpersonal relationships, recovering the value of listening both to those close to us, from family to friends, and to “those who have no voice” and need the other. The pleasure of the gift, like that of listening and being helped, is not only that of receiving it, but also that of giving it.
The spirit that animates Christmas, enlightens our minds for a renewed look at the history of our Republic and at the deepest meaning of its presence today, gives our hearts gratitude for belonging to our “unique and extraordinary” civil community in its littleness” and the love to renew its beauty every day and to keep it in peace for the centuries to come.
Dear fellow citizens, with this wish, we wish you all and your families our most sincere wishes for a merry Christmas and a New Year of peace and serenity”.