Nairobi, 24 December, 2025 / 11:00 AM
A shared call to peace, faith and togetherness runs through the 2025 Christmas messages of two Kenyan Catholic Archbishops and a Bishop-elect, all three offering a unifying pastoral voice to the people of God in the East African nation, across Africa, and globally.
From the Catholic Archdiocese of Nairobi (ADN) to Kisumu Catholic Archdiocese, the leaders emphasize Christmas not only as a celebration of Christ’s birth, but as a moment to renew relationships, strengthen faith, care for one another and build unity within families, communities and nations.
In Nairobi, Archbishop Philip Arnold Subira Anyolo situates Christmas firmly in daily life, urging Christians to allow the peace of Christ to take root first within themselves.
“I want to encourage our Christians, at least for once, to strive to live that sense of peace within oneself in these moments of Christmas,” Archbishop Anyolo says, adding that this interior peace should also “flavour the community of a family at home and the community in which we are living.”
For him, Christmas is not a private event but a communal one that shapes how believers relate to others.
In his 2025 Christmas message, Archbishop Anyolo reminds the people of God that “Christmas, as it were, is a call to be mindful of others,” explicitly naming “the poor, the joyful, the suffering, all of them.”
At the heart of this mindfulness, he says, is Christ Himself, who gathers humanity together. He continues, “We meet together in that presence where Christ brings all the poor, the suffering, the sick in the moment, the kairos, the moment of salvation of our lives and a new relationship with God himself.”
Archbishop Anyolo’s message also touches on practical expressions of care and responsibility. He encourages families to celebrate together, advising that “if there's no need of you travelling very far, stay at home.”
He goes on to urge those who do travel to “mind your safety on the road” and to “say a short prayer before you travel.”
“Be a gift to the other person. Let your presence be a gift to the other person where you are,” the Local Ordinary of ADN further appeals.
In Kisumu, Archbishop Maurice Muhatia Makumba widens the horizon of Christmas to include the entire nation.
Reflecting on the ending year, Archbishop Muhatia notes that “the grace of God has been with us as we journeyed through this year from January up to now.”
Christmas, he says, should be “an inspiration for each of you, for each one of us,” leading believers to commit themselves “more and more to our faith in serving God and in serving our neighbour.” Service, faith and gratitude emerge as central fruits of the season, he says.
Archbishop Muhatia explicitly links the light of Christmas to Kenya’s social and national life.
“May the light of Christmas also shine on our country, Kenya,” he implores, expressing hope that God may “continue bonding us together as brothers and sisters, united in the development of our country and in growth as a family of the people of God committed to Him.”
His 2025 Christmas message highlights unity and shared responsibility, presenting the season as a moment that strengthens national cohesion and collective purpose.
Completing this shared pastoral message is Mons. Vincent Odundo, Auxiliary Bishop-elect of the Archdiocese of Kisumu, whose brief but prayerful greeting centers on blessing and thanksgiving.
Mons. Odundo reminds the people of God that Christmas is “the celebration of the Nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ, our Saviour,” and prays that “the blessings of Christmas come upon each one of you and your families.”
Addressing listeners beyond parish boundaries, he invokes God’s protection, asking that “the blessings of the Almighty God descend upon you.”
Taken together, the three messages reveal a common thread: Christmas as a season that calls believers back to the essentials of Christian life — peace of heart, care for others, renewed faith, unity and blessing.
Whether spoken in the language of family closeness, national unity or prayerful benediction, the three Kenyan Catholic Church leaders point to Christmas as a time to strengthen bonds among people and with God.
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Their Christmas messages resonate beyond December. They present Christmas as a moment of grace that shapes how communities live, serve and journey together, reminding the faithful that peace, unity and faith are gifts to be received — and responsibilities to be lived.
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