During Imam Khomeini's short stay in Neauphle Le Chateau, Imam decided to send gifts to all his neighbors to congratulate them on Christmass.
During Imam Khomeini's short stay in Neauphle Le Chateau, a small town in France, the celebration of the birth of Jesus son of Mary on Christmas day was approaching, so the Imam decided to send gifts to all his neighbours to congratulate them and to apologise for any inconvenience that his stay might had caused.
Imam Khomeini, the late founder of the Islamic Republic in his message on the occasion of Christmas and New Year invited the Christians and other followers of divine religions to resort to genuine divine teachings.
Following the victory of Islamic Revolution, Imam also attached great significance to the event in order to attract the attention of the world Christians to pure divine-oriented teachings of Christ.
Imam said in a historic message that Jesus has been messenger of God the Almighty who spread love and peace and undertook serious efforts to establish justice.
One of the most famous messages, Imam Khomeini issued on Christmas occasion to the Christians of the world on December 24, 1979.
Some phrases from the historic message come as following:
Merry Christmas to the oppressed nations of the world, to the Christian nations and the Christians of Iran. Christ was a great messenger whose mission was to establish justice and mercy, and who with his heavenly words and deeds condemned the tyrants and supported the oppressed.
You priests and clergy, followers of Christ, rise up and give your support to the oppressed of the world against the oppressors, and for the sake of God and the teachings of Jesus Christ, ring the bells of your churches just once in support of the oppressed of Iran and in condemnation of the oppressors.
Happy are those who are hungry and thirsty for justice and strive after it. Woe to those who strive against the teachings of Jesus Christ and all the prophets, for the sake of spies and oppressors of the rights of nations.
And O Nation of the Messiah, and followers of Jesus, the spirit of God, rise up and defend the dignity of Jesus Christ, and the nation of Christianity, and do not let the enemies of the divine teachings and the opposes of godly orders give false impression of Christianity and its clergy to the oppressed peoples of the world.
Do not be deceived by the presence of the super powers in churches, or by their prayers for spies and traitors. They think of nothing but more power, or supremacy over the world, which is against divine teachings. Our nation suffered from this hypocrisy of the oppressors for many years.
And you, the oppressed of the world arise and unite to be rid of the oppressors, for the earth belongs to God, and its inheritors are the oppressed.