Live
- Three persons admitted to hospital for diarrhea treatment
- First Star Outside Milky Way Captured: WOH G64 is 2,000 Times Larger Than the Sun
- Sikkim govt to constitute state Niti Ayog: CM Tamang
- CBI books Rajasthan narcotics inspector for Rs 3 lakh bribe
- Rajasthan bypolls: A tough contest between BJP and Congress
- Albania joins SEPA, paving way for EU integration
- Japanese government approves 250-billion USD economic package to ease price pain
- Six pharma companies to set up their units in Telangana
- The Unstable Events of a 17-Wicket Day in Perth: India vs Australia
- Dutch FM's Israel trip cancelled after Netanyahu's arrest warrant
Christmas celebrated with pomp and gaiety in Hyd
- Hyd streets ablaze with Christmas fervor, vibrant church celebrations
- Donations aid orphanages, poor families, festivities continue till early hours
Hyderabad: The lanes of the city glowed in the festive spirit of Christmas celebrations on Monday, as the people from the Christian community dressed in their best attire and thronged up to the churches to offer special prayers.
Popular churches include the Wesley church- Secunderabad, CSI Wesley Church, Ramkote, and St Joseph’s Cathedral, where the festivities began at 11 pm on Sunday with midnight mass and continued till the early hours of Monday. Several Christian organisations and churches reached out to orphanages, rehabilitation centres, and poor families and donated both in cash and kind during the pre-Christmas period.
“Christmas mass at St John’s Cathedral was held from 5 am and 8 am on Monday, where we offered prayers for everyone’s well-being and also a vibrant full carol was organised on the premises,” informed one of the members of St Joseph’s Cathedral, Gunfoundry, Abids.
G Selvavice, secretary of the United Christmas Celebration Committee, said, “This year Christmas celebration went on peacefully, as earlier we had many political parties raising objections in various localities but this year everything went on peacefully. Like every year, even this year, all the catholic churches began their celebrations on Sunday midnight. This year for the first time, around 200 members from various churches gathered at the Wesley Degree College ground, Secunderabad on the eve of Christmas for singing carols.”
Phebe Merolica, resident of Secunderabad, who offered prayers at Wesley Church, Secunderabad with his family members, said, “Christmas is about sharing love and happiness with everyone. We enjoy the festival every year.In addition to enjoying a delicious lunch there and praying in the church, I spent the evenings with my friends watching a movie.”
Anthony, a local Christian said, “This year we had a gala time and after the religious ceremonies, everyone in our respective areas joined together for a community feast.” Devasagayam, Vinodini, senior pastor of Trinity Assembly of God Church, said, “This year not only people from the Christian community visited our church but also devotees from all faiths visited churches to offer prayers for the festival about spreading the message of love and brotherhood.”
