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Lucknow’s Mohd Ali lights up a star every Christmas
Mohd Ali Khan, 34, honors his late father by placing a giant star atop a church cross each Christmas, uniting the community in celebration.
Mohd Ali Khan, 34, considers himself blessed and no less than a superstar on Christmas Eve. And he has a good reason as well.
Thousands who will throng the famous Cathedral Church in Hazratganj will surely not miss the well-lit star on top of the cross that can even be seen from a distance.Ali Khan has been putting the star on top of the cross for the last 15 years.
“I used to help my father, Majid Ali. My dad was doing this pious work till he died in 2019. Thereafter, I’m doing it every Christmas. All throughout the year, I and my team eagerly wait for Christmas. The Parish priest blesses the entire team after we mount the star on top of the cross,” said Ali who has not cleared the class 10 exam.
“As our financial condition was not good, I joined hands with my dad to help him for this noble work. The star is more than 200 feet above the ground. As one climbs up, it gets very windy. The harsh winter chill makes the task all the more difficult,” he said. Ali and his team put the star on the cross every December 19. There is no story behind this particular date.
“We also decorate the church. The family does a little ritual on the day when the star is placed,” he said.
Fr Donald D’Souza, the spokesperson of Catholic Diocese in Lucknow said, “The essence of Christmas is celebrated by people of all religion. We do no discrimination between people. Muhammad Ali has been putting up the star for many years. A Christman without that big star is incomplete.”
