Every year, this is the time churches are buzzing with activity: be it setting up of the Christmas tree, church choirs practicing Christmas carols, rehearsals for the nativity play or decorating. However, with the COVID-19 pandemic playing spoilsport, churches too have had to rely on the internet to bring people together and observe Christmas festivities.
Door-to-door carols, taken up by most churches, see members form groups and visit homes of other church members to sing carols. For many, this is an essential part of the Christmas celebration. This year though, several churches in the twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad have taken Christmas carol programs online.
The Christmas Carols of St. Anthony's Church, Venkatapuram
St Anthony’s Church in Venkatapuram has cancelled the Christmas Tree celebrations as well as the door-to-door carolling that are held every year for the various age groups in the church, due to the pandemic. The Roman Catholic Church has around 400 families as members.
Speaking to TNM, Reverend Father M Arogyam, the parish priest, said, “We did not have door-to-door carols this year. Instead, on Sunday, we had an online Christmas carols service. We asked everyone to record their part and send it over to us. We then put it all together and then put it up online at 4 pm, yesterday.”
Though elaborate celebrations have been toned down in many churches, like many others, churches too are adapting to the digital medium to observe the festivities. Several of them are live-streaming programmes on social media.
The Bangalore Diocese of the Malankara Orthodox Church, for instance, has decided to host an online Christmas and New Year Social programme. The programme will see Orthodox Churches from not only Hyderabad and Bengaluru, but also from the Gulf region participate in the carols programme.
Speaking about the initiative, Rev. Father Lijo Joseph, Vice President of the Hyderabad region Mar Gregorios Orthodox Christian Student Movement (MGOCSM) and Orthodox Christian Youth Movement (OCYM), said, “Christmas is the time for new hope. This pandemic too, we wish that Christmas carols instil a sense of hope within us that these difficult times shall pass.”
Hyderabad Malankara Orthodox Church Youth Christmas Carols
“Every year, Christmas carols were organised by individual parishes or parishes in the same region. This year, the pandemic has forced us to take the carols online. But on the brighter side, it has given a platform for many more churches to come together. The Christmas and New Year Social programme being organized will see youth from around 23 churches across Hyderabad, Bengaluru and the Gulf unite for carols,” added Father Lijo.
The Christmas Tree programme organized every year for the children of Holy Trinity Church in Begumpet was also held online last Sunday. According to the Rev. Father Raju Alex, parish priest of Holy Trinity Church, over 900 people were viewing the live stream of the programme on Facebook.
He said, “The Christmas carols programme was streamed online on Saturday and the Christmas Tree programme was streamed on Facebook on Sunday. From the Sunday mass, meetings, prayers and now Christmas Carols, everything is now online and the people have received it very well. They have gracefully accepted the seriousness of the situation and they have embraced the online option.”
The Christmas Carols of Holy Trinity Church, Begumpet
Rev. Father Raju feels that the online services have increased the spirituality of the people. “Today, people prepare in advance, dress up just like going to church, light candles and attend mass online. We remind them that they are attending the mass as celebrants. The best part about online mass is that they can sit together as a family and attend the mass. Despite all these advantages, some people tell us that they miss coming to Church and that they hope to come back soon and pray as a congregation.”
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