Uttarakhand: Christmas celebrations were in full swing in Dehradun and Mussoorie; special prayers were offered in churches; the churches resonated with the sounds of “Wish You a Merry Christmas.”

The birth of Lord Jesus, Christmas, was celebrated with great joy in Dehradun and Mussoorie. In most churches, after a special prayer service lasting about an hour, as the clock struck midnight, marking the birth of Lord Jesus, who brought the message of mercy, forgiveness, peace, and love, the air resonated with cries of “Merry Christmas!”

Members of Christian families celebrated with joy, singing praises to Lord Jesus. Every corner of the churches echoed with “Wish you a Merry Christmas!”

They sang hymns about the birth of Jesus, such as “Lord Jesus, born in Bethlehem, awakened the world…”, “Mary’s beloved son, born in a manger…”, “Jesus the King came to take away the sins of the world…”, “The Messiah has come in the manger…”, “The Messiah has come into the world…”, and exchanged Christmas greetings.

Preparations for Christmas had begun a week earlier. Churches were decorated with colorful lights and garlands. On Wednesday, tableaux depicting the infant Jesus were set up in various churches. Scenes of Lord Jesus in the manger, surrounding palaces, and angels were displayed. Stories of Lord Jesus were narrated to the children.

The candlelit services added to the festive atmosphere. Dehradun’s oldest church, St. Thomas Church on Rajpur Road, along with St. Francis Church on Convent Road, St. John’s Church on Court Road, Morrison Memorial Church on Rajpur Road, St. Methodist Church on Nashvilla Road, Reformed Presbyterian Church on Omkar Road, St. Mary’s Church in Clement Town, and many other churches, witnessed the joyous celebrations of the birth of Lord Jesus.