Today is the first day of the new year and we can not help but remember the serious developments ongoing in Ukraine. Sky was lit up [with fireworks in Georgia] last night, while the Ukrainian sky is being lit up with rockets. A society that adapts to these events is not normal, Eminence Grigol said in his New Year address. 

The top cleric stressed that individuals could create a new year with their attitudes and actions, especially in the 21st century, as mankind had accumulated sufficient experience. 

“Let’s leave the sins of the past and meet the new year with a new spirit. The New Year is not the creator of anything or the giver of anything, the creator of the New Year is each of us, and let's not kill each other, let's not hurt each other's hearts, let's not enrich hatred and evil, this will again and again undermine our lives”, said the Eminence. 

He noted a wide range of technologies had been developed over the years, making a human’s  life easier and more comfortable, but “they cannot make us more human, they cannot make us more loving and merciful, they cannot make us beautiful in spirit and cannot brighten our spiritual life, we should be happy to see each other at dawn, to see this world, to see our country, our cities, our villages. The inner wealth that comes with peace and love will bring you happiness”,  

The Eminence said one week left before Chrustmas “everyone should try to meet this day with dignity and fasting”.