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It’s Christmas, but carols to be sung online, mass timings staggered in Chandigarh
Simple celebrations by Chandigarh churches during the Covid pandemic
Christmas celebrations will be low key this year with online carol singing and churches planning staggered timings for mass to observe social distancing.
Bishop Ignatius Mascarenhas of the Roman Catholic Church, Simla and Chandigarh Diocese, said Christ the King Cathedral in Sector 19 and other constituent churches will have online performances by carol singers from December 22 onwards. “We will use the Simla and Chandigarh Diocese’s YouTube channel to reach out to people and to greet them with Christmas carols. The theme for Christmas this year will be ‘family’ and we will ask all people to stay at home with their families as much as possible and to be safe,” he said.
Christ Church CNI will organise carol singing, but with a small group and restricted movement, said secretary Parkash Masih. “Members of the congregation who want carol singers to come over will have to inform us in advance. Only one group will be formed and they will sing outdoors and not enter any homes.”
No processions this year
The president of the Tricity Churches Association, Father Prem Anand, said no Christmas processions would be taken out like in previous years. “Many people have been affected by the pandemic this year, and our farmer brothers are also struggling for their rights in the harsh weather. We want that our celebrations should reflect the hardships this year and we want to celebrate Christmas frugally like it was originally celebrated,” he said.
No overcrowding
About staggered midnight mass timings, Bishop Ignatius said, “On Christmas eve three masses will be held between 5:30 pm and 8:30 pm so that people can be seated as per social distancing norms. On Christmas day also two masses will be held at 8:30 am and 10 am.”
Bishop Ignatius also said that a smaller Nativity Scene had been installed at Christ the King Cathedral in Sector 19 to depict the birth of Jesus Christ. “The crib scene will be set up in the parking area this year on a smaller scale as we want to celebrate Christmas as simply as we can. The yearly exhibition put up in the basement will also be dropped this time. In previous years we would install LED screens outside for the people to watch the service but it won’t be done this year.”
As per the 2011 census, 0.83% of the population of Chandigarh is Christian.
