Kiska: I Hope That Light of Bethlehem Brings Peace to Slovak Homes

Poprad, December 17 (TASR) – Slovak scouts handed over the Light of Bethlehem – symbol of peace, hope and understanding – to President Andrej Kiska on St. Egidius Square in Poprad (Presov region) on Sunday, TASR learnt on the same day.

“I would very much like it if peace, love and the willingness to forgive and ask for forgiveness were distributed to homes along with this light so that all households in Slovakia can enjoy a beautiful Christmas atmosphere,” said Kiska when receiving the Light of Bethlehem from a Poprad scout group.

At the same time the president expressed his hope that peace will also reign among politicians during Christmas. “I hope that our top politicians will realise that we want Slovakia to be a country of welfare and love, and not one of hatred,” he said.

Chief of Slovak scouts Peter Linek told TASR that the president is symbolically handing the Light of Bethlehem over to every household in Slovakia. “This light is like God’s sign because it travels directly from the basilica of God’s birth [the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem – ed. note], and people should realise that this is the real symbol of Christmas, not shopping and cleaning,” he said.

The Light of Bethlehem, a tradition that has been observed in Slovakia since 1990, was brought to Slovakia by Austrian scouts on Saturday (December 16). It will be further distributed to Poland as well as to other towns and cities in Slovakia.