Chennai, Dec 25 (UNI) Christmas, the festival marking the birth of Jesus Christ, was celebrated with religious fervour, traditional gaiety and enthusiasm by the Christians in Tamil Nadu today.
As church bells tolled signalling the moment of Nativity, thousands of faithfuls, including those from abroad, converged for the midnight mass in cathedrals and churches as senior bishops and priests delivered the Christmas message.
Midnight and early morning masses were conducted in all the churches in which faithfuls participated.
Christians attired in new clothes thronged the churches for special masses and exchanged greetings with others.
All the churches across the State were tastefully decorated and illuminated to mark the occasion.
X-mas trees of various hues and sizes dotted various shopping malls across the state.
The largest congregation was held at the Santhome Basilica in the city and also in the Shrine Velankanni Church at Besant Nagar, where foreigners also took part in the midnight mass.
The Greater Chennai City Police have made elaborate security arrangements for the Christmas festival with the deployment of 8,000 personnel on duty.
Tamil Nadu Governor R N Ravi, Chief Minister M K Stalin, Opposition AIADMK leader Edappadi K Palaniswami, ousted AIADMK leader O Pannerselvam, alliance party leaders of the ruling DMK, AMMK Founder TTV Dhinakaran, PMK Founder Dr S Ramadoss, PMK President and Rajya Sabha MP, Dr Anbumani and leaders of various political parties greeted the Christians on the occasion.
In his Christmas greetings, Mr Stalin listed out various welfare measures launched by the DMK whenever it was in power, including enhancing subsidy for Jerusalem pilgrimage to Rs 60,000, setting up of Minorities welfare board, renovation of ancient churches, financial assistance, granting minority status for several Christian institutions and also assured that the government would always strive to ensure equal rights for the people of all religions with social equality.
