Hyderabad Soaks in Christmas Spirit
Cardinal Poola Anthony celebrated the Christmas Mass at St Joseph’s Cathedral. It was kept open for visitors throughout the day, where visitors lit candles.
Hyderabad: From the midnight mass on December 25, Hyderabad was soaked in the spirit of Christmas, with people meeting and greeting each other across the streets, taking photos with Christmas trees and decorations. Devotees thronged massive old churches to new worship houses. Pastors preached messages of love, while the young and the old wished each other Merry Christmas.
Cardinal Poola Anthony celebrated the Christmas Mass at St Joseph’s Cathedral. It was kept open for visitors throughout the day, where visitors lit candles.
One of the city’s highlighted Christmas celebrations was at Hope Unlimited Churches, where a Christmas special service was held at Lalitha Kalathoranam. Event director Catherine Cynthia said, “The service had stories through the eyes of eight ordinary people who might have witnessed the birth of Jesus. See how their lives were changed in this musical celebration of what Christmas is all about. An inspiring message tells how the miracle of Christmas can continue in us today.”
Around a thousand congregants attended the two sessions. Emmanuel Sandeep, national director, Hope UC India, said, “Because we believe Jesus was born for everyone, we strive to communicate his love to everybody. Christmas is a big festival where people get together.”
Christmas celebrations also indulged in good food with family and friends. Chefs crafted a “Merrylicious Christmas Brunch” that took people on a culinary journey of traditional and modern delicacies. According to Akhilesh Kumar, general manager of a three-star hotel, “There was a lot of waiting. The special items were the turkey roast and Yule log, which were much relished by people, along with apple pie and cheesecake.”
Malls, shops, and other public places were decorated with Christmas lights, trees, and props. People wearing warm clothes and Santa caps made the most of the winter. At Fission Church, Madhapur, the morning service was preached by Ebenezer Benjamin, who said, “This congregation is mostly from IT and IT-related firms. The strength is more on Christmas Day compared to regular services.”