The Christian community in Nepal is celebrating their greatest festival to commemorate the birth of Jesus Christ tomorrow.
Christmas Day, celebrated on December 25 every year, is a time for rejoicing and recalling Christ’s message of love‚ compassion‚ forgiveness and unity among people.
Christians gather at churches to exchange greetings and offer prayers across the country on the day. They also go to hotels and restaurants and enjoy delicious food and drinks to mark the day. The government has declared a public holiday on the occasion. According to the 2011 census report, about three lakh of the country’s total 26.5 million are Christians.
On the occasion, President Ram Baran Yadav has extended wishes to all Christians people at home and abroad for peace, happiness and good health. “I believe celebrating Chirstmas will strengthen the trust and unity among the citizens and help build a better Nepal,” he said in a press statement today.
Marketplaces in Thamel, Durbar Marg, Basantapur, Bhaktapur and Lalitpur have been decked with electric lights and Christmas trees for the festival. The non-Christian communities also celebrate Christmas with great enthusiasm in Nepal where people from different religions have lived for long in harmony, respecting each other’s religion and participating in each other’s festivals and festivities.
source: Himalayan Times, 24 DEC 2013
