’Tis the season to be merry, with carols and decorations at city churches
The event aims to help ‘saving little hearts’ — an initiative to operate on children who need open heart surgery at the earliest — in raising funds, said Dr Manoj Durairaj, cardiac surgeon and director of the foundation.
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The ‘Walk in Crib’ at St Patrick’s Cathedral ‘will have 38 large life-like figurines to depict the nativity scene’. Arul Horizon
A palpable festive spirit can be felt in churches across the city, where hectic preparations are underway for Christmas.
At St Patrick’s Cathedral, which sees the largest number of visitors on December 25, a unique ‘Walk in Crib’ depicting the nativity scene is being prepared at the vegetable and fruit garden. And at the Divine Mercy Church at Wadgaonsheri, an outreach programme has been organised for street children on December 17.
Several groups have already started organising a festival of choirs. Among them is the Brave Heart group at St Patrick’s Cathedral, which will sing carols for widows and widowers.
“There are 19 churches under the Diocese of Poona and an estimated population of 50,000 Catholics in the city,” said Father Malcolm Sequeira, Vicar General, Diocese of Poona and parish priest at Divine Mercy Church.
In keeping with Pope Francis’s message on the first World Day for the Poor, on November 19, the Bishop of Poona has issued a circular to all churches to ensure that their collections on Christmas are used for the poor and needy in their parishes, said Father Malcolm.
Volunteers play a huge role in decorating the churches and children also put up a tableau on the occasion, he added
“This festival has found a place in the hearts and homes of many non-Christians… irrespective of their religion, the St Patrick’s Cathedral gets over 4,000-5000 visitors on December 25,” said Father Wilfred Fernandes, Rector at the Cathedral.
“There is a special service for people from other faiths. This year, for the first time, a walk in crib has been prepared. The crib will have 38 large life like figurines to depict the nativity scene and several parishioners have invested time and effort to design it,” said Father Wilfred.
A festival of choirs will be held at the cathedral on December 16 and 17, while a Christmas bazaar with home-made delicacies will also be organised, said the parish priest. The traditional float of St Patrick’s Cathedral will visit M G Road, Fatimanagar and other areas on December 21, while the Divine Mercy Church will organise its own float for the first time this year on December 17.
The Diocese of Poona has also organised a dance on December 26 in association with St Patrick’s Cathedral and Marian Cardiac Centre and Research foundation. The event aims to help ‘saving little hearts’ — an initiative to
operate on children who need open heart surgery at the earliest — in raising funds, said Dr Manoj Durairaj, cardiac surgeon and director of the foundation.
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