Christmas was celebrated with religious fervour across Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday.
Churches across Kashmir were decked with Christmas trees.
The day started with special prayers at all the churches while main prayers were held at Saint Luke’s church and All Saints’ church in the summer capital city of Srinagar, Saint Joseph’s church in north Kashmir’s Baramulla district—the oldest Catholic church in State—and at a church at the tourist resort of Gulmarg.
Donning the traditional red attire, Santa Claus engaged the kids by distributing candies and toys among them.
In his Christmas message, Father Jobi of Holy Family Catholic Church at MA Road in Srinagar said the day is very important for the entire world when birth of Jesus is being celebrated across the globe.
“Jesus was born to bring peace, so the message of Christmas is love and peace,” father Jobi said.
The priest said the community held very special prayers for Kashmir as the region is going through very difficult times.
“I prayed for the peace in Kashmir. As we all know that Kashmir is a place where we have lot of trials and tribulations and tensions. Let this Christmas bring love and peace in Kashmir,” he said.
He said Jesus in his life preached only love and peace and lived for peace only.
A two-hour-long prayer was held from 11 am at the church in the heart of summer capital Srinagar.
Nisha Raina Koul, who also participated in the celebrations, told Greater Kashmir that minority communities are very much secure in Kashmir.
“I am living here for past four years. And as a minority I don’t feel threatened. We all celebrate festivals together, be it Muslim festival or Christian or our Pandit. I brought my daughter here to explain how all of us celebrate Christmas festival together,” Ms Raina said.
Similar reports were received from Jammu and Ladakh.