Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU/SRINAGAR, Dec 25: Christmas was celebrated across J&K UT with much fervor and fanfare today with all churches fully decorated and illuminated on the occasion.
In Jammu and other towns of the region churches were decorated from yesterday and mass prayers were held in the morning followed by visit of a large number of people to the Churches to participate in celebrations.
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In Jammu main function was held at Gandhi Nagar Church where the rush of visitors continued from morning to evening.
The Church was illuminated and decorated fully. In the morning the prayers were held which was followed by mass prayers and candle lighting. Later the Church was thrown open for the people of all faiths. The Christmas Tree and Santa Claus were established at the Church and arrangements for the meals for visiting people were also made by the management of the Church. The people also sang Santa Clause song on the occasion.
Stalls were installed by the Church management where people were seen purchasing Christmas gifts and masks of Santa Claus. People were also seen hugging each other and greeting Merry Christmas.
At various places children were seeing wearing Santa Claus dress and singing Christmas chorus. The members of other communities were seen greeting their Christian brethren on the occasion.
Special prayers in churches were also held for peace and prosperity of mankind which was the message of Jesus Christ to world.
Large number of people visited Church at Residency road, Prem Nagar, Bakshi Nagar, Muthi and other churches on the occasion of Merry Christmas and participated in mass prayers.
The reports of celebration of Christmas have come from Samba, Kathua, Udhampur, Ramban and other districts also.
Churches across Kashmir were decked up as Christians in the Valley celebrated Christmas today with religious fervour, and held special prayers for peace and prosperity for the people.
The biggest mass gathered at the Holy Family Catholic Church at Maulana Azad Road here, where the members of the Christian community held special prayers and celebrated the birth of Jesus Christ.
The priest of the Church, Father John Paul, said the devotees prayed for peace and calm in Kashmir and the country.
“We prayed for peace and calm in Kashmir, in the entire country. We prayed for the people to be able to help and support each other,” he told reporters here.
Lamenting the absence of snowfall here on Christmas, Father Paul said the devotees miss the snowfall, but the weather was still good.
“We were hoping for snowfall in the city and plains. But it did not happen. We still thank God for the lovely weather,” he said.
He called upon the people to awaken their feelings of humanity, brotherhood and love.
“Today, we see the advent of Artificial Intelligence, and we are also sort of becoming artificial as we are gradually losing our humanity, brotherhood and the feeling of love,” Father Paul said.
“We hope we awaken our feelings and these good things on the occasion of Christmas,” he said.
On several members of the majority Muslim community participating in Christmas celebrations, he said, people from different communities have to work together for the betterment of humanity.
“We are like brothers and sisters. Our beliefs may be different, but our aim is the same, that of the betterment of the people and humanity and we all have to pursue that together,” he added.
Christmas celebrations were also held in other churches of the Valley, including in Gulmarg and Baramulla.
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