A Midnight for the Mass
Midnight Christmas mass has become a secular celebration. People of different religion attend mass in church and pray.
During the festival seasons, the most debated issue in the media and at homes is about the branding of the festivals. As we try to fiercely hold on to the tradition there is fear that the celebrations overtake the spiritual side of the festival. Read this post to find how the Christmas cakes have evolved in three generations of a family.
This year as every year on the extremely cold winter evening from Midnight of Christmas the streets of Delhi turns red. Children and the adults wear read santa caps and red winter jacket. Children wear santas costume and as a tradition now, they will visit Church, to pray, light candles and meet Santa.
This Christmas season cakes worth crores of rupees were sold in Delhi itself. Cakes, Santa, Star, Christmas tree, are not symbolic to the birth of Jesus in any manner. When ‘x’ used instead of Christ, to denote Christmas (Xmas), Christ sometime forgotten.
During a Christmas celebration when a compere asked the audience about the meaning of Christmas. A child replied “Birthday of Santa Claus”. After all it was a child, and the child of another faith had come for Christmas celebration. That is something to be Joyful about.
| There is Hope! The spirit and fervor of the festival is still alive. |
In recent years after the midnight mass when the Christians go home to celebrate, thousands of people of other faiths visit the Churches in Delhi. They attend the prayers inside the church (language is not an barrier). Light candles and wait patiently for the visit of Santa, who comes with cakes and sweets.
The people in the above pictures are neither members of the that Church nor Christians. They are few of the thousand who come to this Church, every year, on Christmas Day. The prayers the people, from north India attend are conducted mostly in malayalam.
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