Udupi: The Christian community of the Udupi district celebrated Christmas on Saturday night and Sunday with devotion and joy.
Christmas celebrations have been extremely muted for the past two years due to the pandemic. But this year, Christians celebrated Christmas on a larger scale.
Christians in all the churches of the diocese conducted special prayers, Carol singing and Holy Eucharist.
Bishop of Udupi Diocese, Most Rev. Dr Gerald Isaac Lobo celebrated Christmas vigil mass at Milagres Cathedral, Kallianpur. The Rector of the Cathedral V Rev. Fr Valerian Mendonca, Assistant Parish Priest Fr Joy Andrade and guest priests concelebrated with the Bishop.
In his homily, Bishop Gerald Lobo said that despite the differences in celebrating Christmas throughout the world, the Christmas message is the same to all, which conveys God’s love, peace, and harmony. The birth of Christ propagates peace, love, cooperation and harmony.
Today fear, exploitation, sorrow, violence, riots and inequality have been spread throughout the world. Under these circumstances, Christmas’s message of peace and love has emerged as a ray of hope.
During the festal evening masses on Saturday night, baby Jesus’ statues were placed in the beautifully decorated cribs with prayers and hymns. With lighted candles and floral offerings, the birth of Jesus Christ was proclaimed and celebrated.