Christians across the world are celebrating Christmas with traditional fervour and piety. In Vatican, Pope Francis led the world’s 1.2 billion Roman Catholics into Christmas, urging those intoxicated by possessions and superficial appearances to return to the essential values of life.
In the holy city of Bethlehem, the West Bank town where it is believed that Jesus was born, events have been overshadowed by recent violence between Palestinians and Israelis.
At home, midnight masses in churches marked the commencement of Christmas celebrations. In Goa, the streets leading to the coastal villages were jammed with the vehicles as tourist inflow is also on rise for Christmas and New Year celebrations. Traditional dance parties were organised at various places to usher in the festive season.
In Kerala, to add to the festive spirit, churches, homes and commercial establishments were tastefully decorated with stars and cribs depicting the nativity scene.