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Appeal out in Lucknow to put Christ back into Christmas
The Catholic Diocese appealed to the community to return to the authentic spiritual message of the festival and shun its commercialisation
The Catholic Diocese of Lucknow has appealed to the community to return to the authentic spiritual message of Christmas and not to be tempted to merely commercialise this important holy feast.
Christmas Season began with the start of the Advent season from the first Sunday of this month. “Advent comes from the Latin word ‘adventus’, which means ‘He is coming’, a period of prayerful preparation of about four weeks in preparation for Christmas. The more immediate celebrations have also begun, keeping in mind the government directives concerning health concerns,” said Rev Fr HR DeSouza, spokesperson of the Catholic Diocese of Lucknow.
The main Church in the city, St Joseph’s Cathedral in Hazratganj, will have the Holy Mass, popularly called the Christmas Midnight Mass at around midnight of December 24, presided over by the Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Lucknow, Rt Rev Dr Gerald John Mathias and other priests together with church members.
For those who may not be able to attend church during the Midnight Holy Mass, there will be a Christmas Day Mass at 9 am on December 25 (Christmas Day).
The Cathedral Compound will be decorated with Christmas lights, Christmas Crib and Christmas Stars, when thousands of citizens are expected to visit the compound on Christmas Day from about 10 am until 10 pm.
More than 100,000 (one lakh people) usually visit the Church and the Marian Grotto (Shrine of Mother Mary) to light votive candles.
In the evening on Christmas Day, there will be a Dance Drama on the message of Peace and Joy of Christmas, the ‘Christmas Get-Together’ for prominent civil and religious leaders on December 26.
In his Christmas message, Dr Mathias said, “In Christmas, we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace! May this Christmas bring us real peace and joy offered by Lord Jesus Christ which is needed in the world today”.
