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the king has used it Christmas message to urge the nation “Never lose sight” in a divisive world. World War II Values of “Courage and” Sacrifice” and community spirit.
in view of bondi beach firing and Manchester synagogue attack, charles Also praised the “spontaneous bravery” of those who “put themselves in harm’s way to protect others”.
And the King noted the impact new technologies are having on well-being and community cohesion as the world moves “much faster”, suggesting that the festive period could be a time for those communities to re-energize and become stronger.
annual christmas broadcast It is written by the king and it is a rare occasion when he does not turn to the government for advice. He placed communities at the center of his messageCommenting on the benefits of his “diversity” and how he showed courage in the face of adversity.
Charles has long seen his role as helping to build bridges between these communities, faith groups and others, believing he is a part of society, not apart from it.
The King and Queen took part in major commemorations this year to mark the 80th anniversary of VE Day and VJ Day, and Charles said in the broadcast: “The end of the Second World War is remembered by fewer of us now, as the years go by.”
But the courage and sacrifice of our servicemen and women, and the way the community came together to face such a huge challenge, is an eternal message for us all.”
These are the values that have shaped our country and our Commonwealth. “As we hear about division both at home and abroad, these are values we must never lose sight of.”
The past 12 months have seen divisions grow over a range of issues, including protests over housing for asylum seekers, polarization in the political landscape, headline-grabbing so-called culture wars and an ongoing cost-of-living crisis, widening the gap between rich and poor and fueling resentment between generations.
Charles’s late parents Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh were of the wartime generation and the footage showed an event to mark the VE Day anniversary, including the Prince of Wales and Prince George meeting World War II veterans at a Buckingham Palace tea party, and another video of the king attending a VJ Day ceremony.
King commented on examples of right triumphing over wrong at home and abroad: “From our honored military veterans to selfless humanitarian workers in this century’s most dangerous conflict zones, these stories of the triumph of courage over adversity give me hope; the ways individuals and communities show innate bravery, instinctively putting themselves in harm’s way to protect others.”
The broadcast showed Charles at Manchester’s Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue, where he met survivors of the October terror attack and met those who blocked the doors as the knife-wielding attacker tried to break in.
Hundreds of floral tributes were left after footage showed Bondi Beach scrawled on an arch in Sydney, Australia, after two gunmen targeted a Jewish festival and killed 15 people.
The widely acclaimed hero of the massacre, Syrian-born immigrant Ahmed al Ahmed, was shot dead after snatching a gun from one of the gunmen.
Commenting on busy modern lives and the effects of new technologies on communities and individuals, particularly young people, King said: “Indeed, as our world seems to be spinning faster, our journey might as well pause, so that our minds can be soothed – in the words of TS Eliot ‘at the still point of a changing world’ – and our spirits allowed to be renewed.
“In this, along with the vast diversity of our communities, we can find the strength to ensure that right triumphs over wrong.” An aide to the king said: “I think Her Majesty hopes that, if nothing else, Christmas can be a moment when people can experiment with something of a ‘digital detox’ to focus more on our friendships, our families and our faith as practitioners.”
In this way King hopes our minds can find greater peace, our spirits can be renewed, and our communities can be strengthened.
The address, recorded on 11 December in the Lady Chapel of Westminster Abbey, made no reference to Charles’s recent “good news” announcement about cancer treatment being reduced, reflecting his desire for his message to reflect society’s experiences during the past 12 months.
King, a committed Anglican Christian whose main theme was pilgrimage, had a strong theological element in his address to the Nation and the Commonwealth, and he emphasized the Biblical journeys made by Mary and Joseph, the arrival of the “homeless” in Bethlehem, and the homage paid to the infant Jesus by the three wise men and shepherds.
Charles’s recent state visit to the Vatican celebrated the papal jubilee year, with the theme “Pilgrims of Hope”, and Westminster Abbey is a pilgrim church because it houses the shrine of the canonized Edward the Confessor, whose tomb has attracted pilgrims for centuries. The footage again showed George making a private visit with his father William to homelessness charity The Passage, where they donned aprons and helped prepare meals.
The figures in the Christmas story relied on “the cooperation and kindness of others” during their pilgrimages and found “inner strength” to overcome physical and mental challenges.
Charles said: “To this day, in times of uncertainty, these ways of living are cherished by all the great religions and offer us deep wells of hope: resilience in the face of adversity; peace through forgiveness; simply getting to know our neighbors and, by showing respect for each other, forming new friendships.”
During the broadcast, members of the royal family were shown with Camilla in a red phone box with a group of children during a visit to Dulwich Picture Gallery and William and the Duchess of Edinburgh were shown clinking paper cups of gin at the Royal Cornwall Show.
In conclusion, King said, the Christmas message of “peace and reconciliation” delivered by the angels when they announced the arrival of Jesus – “the greatest pilgrimage of all” – was “a prayer for our times and our communities”.
Charles’s continued support for Ukraine since the early stages of the Russian invasion was reflected in the choice of a choir, the Songs for Ukraine Chorus, which closed the broadcast by singing the hugely popular Carol of the Bells, based on a song by Ukrainian composer Mykola Leontovych.