Nagpur: Catholics in Nagpur celebrated Christmas this year by taking the Yuletide message to people of different religions who seemed eager to learn about Jesus.

“To meet this goal we organized an interfaith religious get-together on December 23 where people from different religions, media and government officers, attended,” said Fr Lijo Mampoothara, the public relations officer of Nagpur archdiocese.

Speaking on the occasion, Archbishop Abraham Viruthakulangara of Nagpur said, Christmas is about the Mercy of God, about Jesus coming to redeem us. “On this occasion let us all resolve to become messengers of peace and mercy,” the prelate said.

Buddhist Monk Bhikku Nagsen urged the participants to spread love and peace all around us. “Look into your heart and you will find that at the core of your heart you are with an ocean of Mercy. Allow the same to flow to others,” he urged.

Dr Oberoi, a pathologist, representing the Sikh community, narrated a piece from Guru Govind Singh’s experiences to explain how every religion leads their followers to a common goal ‘moksha’ (heaven).

R J Milind from MY FM, one of the participants, said, “I think everybody intentionally or unintentionally spreads love and mercy around him. I am an artiste and an artiste’s work is to spread love through the art.”

Exhibition

In his homily during the midnight Mass, Archbishop Viruthakulangara warned Catholics that Christmas would be incomplete if they had not made room for Jesus Christ for this holiday season. “ I pray that God grant you the light of Christmas, which is faith; the warmth of Christmas which is purity; the righteousness of Christmas which is justice; the belief of Christmas which is truth; the all of Christmas which is Christ,” he added.

Foreseeing large number of people thronging the cathedral to seek the blessing of Baby Jesus on December 25, the archdiocese’s Catholic Information Centre organized an Exhibition of paintings explaining the Salvation History.

The 49 pieces of oil paintings on canvas done by Divine Word Father Thomas Thudipara begins with the creation of the world, the fall of human being and the promise of the Messiah. It then enters the Salvation history with the announcement of the Messiah to the Blessed Virgin.

Sr Suman Tigga, director of the enquiry center, said they named the exhibition “A Journey through the Bible,” because a new comer gets acquainted with the Bible history and life of Jesus through the pages of the Bible.

“We know the story of the Bible with one glance,” said Bhagavathi, one of the visitors.

Each visitor received a booklet on the “Story of Christmas” either in Hindi or English.

In the evening various parish groups entertained the visitors with carol singing. A surprise item was three carols sung by Archbishop Viruthakulangara and priests from the cathedra parish and the archbishop’s house.

Lissy Maruthanakuzhy