Seasonal spirit: Twin cities celebrate Christmas

Cakes cut in various churches and at the Adiala jail while Christian community takes to parks to celebrate

RAWALPINDI/ ISLAMABAD: Like in the rest of the country, the Christian community of the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi celebrated Christmas on Tuesday with religious zeal and fervour.

The day began with prayers at different churches of the twin cities where elders and youngsters clad in colourful dresses spent their mornings at the churches which had been decorated for the big day with Christmas trees and structures resembling Santa Claus adorned in colourful lamps.

Local Christian leaders and youngsters held ceremonies at various parts of the city to appreciate the importance of Christmas and their love for the country.

Major Christmas congregations were held in Islamabad at Fatima Church and at the Full Gospel Assembly Church in Sector G-8 among others. In Rawalpindi, the congregations were held at the Christ Church on Mall Road, Christ Church in Gawalmandi, St Paul Church on Murree Road, St Joseph Catholic Church in Lal Kurti, UP Church in Raja Bazaar, Seventh Day Church at the Saddar General Post Office, St Paul Church in Satellite Town, Holy Family Church, Emano L Church in Chaklala, churches in Christmas colony on Double Road and others.



Christmas trees were also set up in various neighbourhoods including the Kutcheri Chowk.

The churches had made arrangements for collective prayers and religious offerings apart from cutting the Christmas cake.

Special ceremonies and mass started on the night of December 24 and continued past midnight with bishops and clergyman in their sermons highlighting the importance of Christmas and the true spirit of the day.

Special prayers asking for peace and progress of the country were also offered.

In Islamabad, Federal Railways Minister Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed cut the Christmas cake at the Full Gospel Assembly Church in Sector G-8. Meanwhile, a large congregation gathered at the Fatima Church, including a number of foreigners. Father Joseph Amanat said that Christmas gives a message of peace, reconciliation and sanctity.

The Muslim community of the city also joined their fellow Christian residents in helping them celebrate the day.



In Rawalpindi, the Bishop Council Secretary Chaudhry Waryam Masih and United Christian Movement Chairman Albert Dyota thanked the deputy commissioner and city police officer for taking stringent security measures for the day by deploying around 4,000 police officers at religious places and in the markets. Separately, a Christmas cake was cut at the Adiala Central Jail for the Christian prisoners and employees at the prison.

Jail Superintendent Mansoor Akbar said that such events provided an opportunity to share the joys of one another in order to promote interfaith harmony at the grassroots level. Sweets were distributed amongst prisoners, including foreigners and juveniles while the jail building had been illuminated.

Addressing another cake-cutting ceremony at the Pur Fazl Church, Eidgah Sharif Custodian Pir Naqeebur Rehman congratulated the Christian community on the occasion.

Later in the day, people belonging to the Christian community of the city and adjoining areas thronged to different parks to celebrate Christmas with their families and loved ones including at Nawaz Sharif Park, Ayub National Park, Play Land, Children’s Park in Satellite Town, Wild Life Park in Lohi Bher and Jinnah Park,.

A rush was also seen at restaurants.

Amir Maseeh, a government employee who visited the Nawaz Sharif Park, told the media that he owed certain duties to his children but he hardly found time to do some of those things.  “Of course, we should take our children out and have fun more often but the time just never seems to be there. We are happy to be able to take advantage of this long weekend and give them the treat they have so richly deserved all this while.”

“We should try and take full advantage of this opportunity as our children have the right to be happy”, he said.

WITH ADDITIONAL INPUT FROM APP

Published in The Express Tribune, December 26^th, 2018.