Christmas celebrated with fervour in J&K; L-G, CM wish people

The Christian community celebrated Christmas with religious fervour in Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday as devotees, including tourists, held special prayers.

The churches across the Valley wore a festive look as they were decked up for the festival. The biggest Mass was held at the Holy Family Catholic Church at Maulana Azad Road in Srinagar, where not only locals, but also tourists had assembled to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, and held special prayers.

Christmas celebrations were also held in other churches of the Valley, including in Gulmarg and Baramulla, as well as in Jammu.

Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha greeted the members of the Christian community on the occasion, and asked the people to imbibe Jesus Christ’s message of love and compassion.

“Wish you all a Merry Christmas. Let’s imbibe Jesus Christ’s message of love, compassion & forgiveness, and work for welfare of humankind and upliftment of the needy & underprivileged. May this Christmas fill the hearts of people with warmth, love & goodwill towards fellow beings,” Sinha said on X.

National Conference president Farooq Abdullah, and party vice president and J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah also greeted people, hoping the day augurs well for peace and prosperity in J&K.

“I extend warm greetings to the Christian community on the joyous occasion of Christmas. This day symbolises the spirit of selflessness and empathy, dedicating oneself to easing human suffering. May this day serve as a catalyst for global peace and prosperity,” the senior Abdullah said in a statement.

Omar emphasised the importance of brotherhood, harmony, and amity as integral components of the UT’s rich cultural heritage.