New Delhi: People across the country celebrated Christmas eve with mass mid-night prayers taking place in different states. The churches were lit up and people even burst firecrackers in Madhya Pradesh to celebrate the winter festival.
Delhi
Midnight mass prayers were held at Sacred Heart Cathedral Catholic Church in Delhi on the occasion of Christmas.
Bengaluru
Prayers were also held at St. Francis Xavier's Cathedral in Bengaluru.
Christmas is observed to commemorate the birth of Jesus Christ. Carol singing, dazzling Christmas lights, and decked-out Christmas trees entice folks to join in the celebrations on December 25.
West Bengal
People gather in large numbers at Our Lady Queen Church in Siliguri, West Bengal for the midnight mass prayers.
Fr. Walter De Sa, Parish Priest Of Immaculate Conception Church, Panaji told ANI that people from other faiths also celebrated Christmas.
"At midnight, we have celebrated Christmas...And, there was a good number of people, including people from other faiths, and they all participated joyfully in our celebration of Christmas. I extend my warm greetings, to all my brothers and sisters and my friends and wish them all a joyful and blessed Christmas..A joyful and blessed Christmas to all of you," he said.
Chennai
Prayers also took place at Santhome Cathedral Basilica Church in Chennai.
"Christmas is a joy, peace, and love of god who has come into the world for humanity. He comes for all the human beings. There is no difference at all among the human being. He comes to each and every one of us...I wish you once again all of you a Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year," Archbishop George Antonysamy, Archbishop of Madras and Mylapore head of Santhome Cathedral Basilica Church, Chennai said.
People burst crackers, and took part in midnight mass prayers being held at a church in Chhatarpur, Madhya Pradesh on the occasion of Christmas.
Odisha
In Odisha, midnight mass prayers were held at St. Vincent's Pro-Cathedral in Bhubaneswar.
"Jesus could have taken the part of rich people but opted to be poor so that the poor can also experience god's love. Everybody should treat each other equally and love each other," Archbishop John Barwa told ANI.
Gujarat
On the occasion of Christmas, midnight mass prayers were held at the Centenary Methodist Church in Vadodara, Gujarat.
Arunachal Pradesh
People gathered at a church in Naharlagun in Arunachal Pradesh to take part in the Christmas celebrations.
As the country celebrates the winter festival of Christmas and the tourist favourite destination Shimla is decorated for the festival, however, some people in the city were left a bit disappointed as the midnight prayers were cancelled following the bad health of the father of the church.
Christmas is an annual festival celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ, observed by billions of people worldwide on December 25 as a religious and cultural event.
