Christmas fest in true spirit
From cultural shows, special decorations to prayer service, visit the Churches in the city to celebrate the winter festival.
As the world celebrates the festival of Christmas today, we guide you to a few of the city’s prominent churches, where you can attend the prayer services, cultural programmes and celebrate the festival with your family.
St Luke’s Church
Here, the Christmas day festivities will begin with morning worship service in English, followed by Hindi and Malayalam. “While the main mass is the one on December 24, the morning service is considered equally special, as it marks the beginning of the day,” says Father Ivan Madtha. The prayers will be followed by a family get together for the people visiting the church. There will be a coffee break too. Later in the day, the church would host a fun extravaganza where games for youngsters, couples and children will be organised. A Santa will also be present and will distribute gifts and prizes to the participants and winners.
Where: B-68, Defence Colony
Timing: 8.30am onwards
As important as Christmas is in contemporary culture, the traditional celebration of this holiday has become a central part of the church. The worship service is the main part of the revelry at this church. "On the festival day, we will have different sessions of prayers in English, Hindi and Tamil," says Father Paul of the church, which was constructed in 1935. The celebrations for the festival kicked off a week ago and the church is beautifully decorated for the occasion.
Where: 1, North Avenue, Rashtrapati Bhawan, Church Road, CP
Timing: 8.30am
Baptist Church
This year, the Christmas celebrations at this church will start with the English service in the morning. The church has been decorated with lightings, flowers and buntings for the big occasion. “Christmas celebrations are a month long affair at the church,” says Father Shyam of the church.
The day will also see Santa Claus distributing gifts and candies to ‘Children of the Church’ (kids adopted by the church). “We also organised a cultural programme for the youth where a Delhi-based band performed. Children of the church also performed musical shows, along with some carols,” says Father Shyam.
Noida City Assembly of God Church
The Christmas festivities here will be an extravagant youth fiesta. About 100 youngsters from different universities across Delhi, including Amity and Sharda, will be giving a cultural performance at the basement area of the church. They will perform a one act play, a choreographed piece, along with a musical show. They will be singing popular Christmas carols too. The day will be kicked off with the morning English service.
Where: B-171, sector 44, Noida
Timing: Service - 10.30am, cultural fiesta - 3pm - 7pm
Sacred Heart Cathedral
Situated near Birla Mandir and Bangla Sahib Gurudwara, this peaceful church occupies a special place in the heart of the Capital. It organises some special and exclusive events on the festival. On Christmas, a special service is organised, wherein prayers and scriptures are read in the morning. Carol singing starts a week before though. Watch out for the traffic jams around this place!
Where: Sacred Heart Cathedral, Bhai Vir Singh Marg, near Connaught Place
Timings: 9.30 am onwards
Other churches in the city
North India Gospel Mission, Vasant Vihar
Good Shepherd Church, RK Puram, Sector 2
Holy Spirit Church, Alaknanda
St Paul’s Church, Parade Road, Delhi Cantonment
St Anthony’s Church, Paharganj
Church of Jesus Christ of latter day saints, Lajpat Nagar
St Thomas Church. RK Puram
St James Church, Mori Gate