-Illuminated Churches, Twinkling Lights
From Abid Usman
LAHORE: Traditionally, Christmas festivals in Pakistan is an occasion of jubilation and celebrations, a holiday commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ. It is symbolized with a shopping spree in markets as Christian community purchases new clothes, shoes and gifts to celebrate their main festival of the year.
Christians around the world have started the festivity of Christmas day celebrations amid the prevailing situation of coronavirus, with prayer services in the churches of the country.
The festivities include distributing gifts among parents, children while attending mass and singing hymns and prayers.
Residential colonies and localities in Lahore such as Youhanabad, which is the largest majority area of Christians in the city have been decorated beautifully. Some small religious events being celebrated are a part of the festivities that would lead to Christmas Day. Youth, children, choir groups and families have started preparing themselves for that day in a befitting manner.
Other Christians’ localities across the province have also been decorated with twinkling lights and stars and baubles including bells, pine, apples, cones, apples, tinsel and balloons at streets, bedecked trees, houses and churches, ahead of the main event.Major churches in Lahore which have been decorated beautifully included Sacred Heart Cathedral, Mall Road, St. Andrew’s Church, St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, St. Anthony’s Church, Mall Road, St. Joseph’s Church, St. Mary’s Church, St. Joseph’s Church, St. Mary’s Church, Samaritan’s Fellowship Church.
Whereas, decorated wreaths have also been hung outside the main shopping malls and stores buzzing with last-minute shopping on the eve of Christmas festivity. Bishop of Lahore Irfan Jamil said that all the religions around the world had taught a message of love and peace irrespective of race and colour. He said role of Christians was remarkable in the making of Pakistan and now they had been working shoulder to shoulder for the prosperity and development of the country.
Members of the Christian community would attend special services at illuminated churches where prayers would also be offered for the progress and prosperity of Pakistan, he said.
To a query he said Christians also took an active part and sacrificed lives during the wars of 1965 and 1971, adding, the white color in the national flag belonged to the minorities.
Manzoor Ahmed Alvi, a noted professor of Sociology said that amid the pandemic, it was a welcoming sign that people who had been confined to their homes since the spread of the pandemic, now were enjoying religious festivity and limited gatherings, as social isolation was very challenging.
