Joining Archbishop Tomo were the Apostolic Nuncio to Bosnia and Herzegovina, Archbishop Francis Assisi Chullikatt, the newly appointed Military Ordinary in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Msgr. Miro Relota, the Secretary of the Apostolic Nunciature in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Msgr. Javier Camañes-Forés, the Rector of Sarajevo Cathedral and Canon Rev. Marko Zubak, and about 10 other priests.

Introducing the Holy Mass, Msgr. Vukšić greeted the faithful present and called for gratitude.

The Most Important Guest

After the Scripture readings and the proclamation of the Gospel, the Archbishop began his sermon by explaining that, in accordance with the tradition of the Church, four Holy Masses are celebrated every year on the feast of Christmas. "The first in this series, usually called the Vigil Mass, is celebrated in the late evening hours and begins the Christmas celebration and the Christmas season. The second is Midnight, the third is Dawn and at the end is the Daytime Mass. The very name of this Eucharistic celebration points to the truth that the Christian believers gather for this gathering in joyful expectation of the most important possible guest: the Son of God, Jesus Christ, the Saviour of the world, the witness of love, the preacher and teacher of the most beautiful of all the rules of life that man can know, follow and be guided by. In these late hours, Christians gather for prayer, watch and rejoice, because they know from the sacred texts about the report of Joseph and Mary 'of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ' (Mt 1:16). They also know from the same sources that this happened at dawn on a distant night, and therefore the Midnight Mass is celebrated, which symbolically recalls that holy night, and the Dawn Mass, which indicates the time of that important events", said the Archbishop of Vrhbosna.

He further recalled how "Jesus, who is called Christ", was born. "And he will also be called Emmanuel. This is what is written at the beginning of the Gospel of Matthew in the passage that is read and announced to the gathered faithful throughout the Catholic Church at this Holy Mass. At the same time, this is the fundamental truth of the feast whose celebration we are beginning (…) The name Jesus means that the very name of God is present in the person of his Son, incarnate for the universal and final redemption from sin. The only divine name brings salvation from sin, and from now on everyone can call on him because, through the incarnation, he united himself with all people. (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 432) The name Christ has the same meaning as the name Messiah, and means Anointed One. The name Christ becomes Jesus' own because he perfectly fulfils the divine mission that this title signifies (…) It is the constant teaching of the Church that Jesus' messianic consecration proclaims his divine mission", emphasized Msgr. Vukšić.

What does God do at Christmas?

Finally, he noted that during this vigil, a simple question arises: “What does God do at Christmas?” "And in response to that question, a priest wrote this vividly: God does on Christmas what a father or mother does when they want to be completely close to their child. They come down to him, sit with him on the floor, if necessary in the dust, hug him and hold him close to them and play with him. The child cannot yet be as big as they are, but they can be as small as they are. So God also comes down to the dust of our Earth on Christmas, comes down to us, his children, to be as close to us as possible, precisely as tenderly close, to embrace us and draw us to himself. God is not afraid to come down from his throne, he is not afraid to soil his festive garments. Jesus showed us this so clearly on Christmas.

Also, in this vigil, every Christian should ask himself the question: What do I do on Christmas? How do I receive Jesus? Do I allow God to be with me in my daily life and do my actions grow out of accepting God's rules? Do I accept, as did St. Joseph, to be guided by the voice of God even when it seems difficult to accept the will of God? And the answers to these questions can be given to us by no one else but each one of us in the silence of our own conscience. Therefore, we must seek them there. God be with us all! And we with him! Through Christ our Lord”, said the Archbishop.

The Holy Mass celebration was animated with harmonious singing by the Cathedral Choir Josip Stadler, led by the regens chori rev. Marko Stanušić, while at the altar - under the direction of the rector of the Vrhbosna Theological Seminary rev. Ivan Rako - the theologians of the VBS assisted.

Let us also mention that the Holy Mass was broadcast live by BHT1.