Mysuru gears up for Christmas

Mysuru: It’s Christmas tomorrow and the city is all geared up for the festive season with Churches preparing for the biggest festival of the Christian community. Churches will hold midnight services and holy prayers at 12 am to mark the birth of Jesus Christ. St. Philomena’s Church, which is the biggest church in the city, will be sporting a grand look and thousands of devotees will be visiting. Today, celebrations at St. Philomena’s Church at Lashkar Mohalla will start with Christmas Carols from 11 pm to 12 am. At 12 am, Bishop of Mysuru Diocese, Rev. Dr. K.A. William, will preside over the mass which will be held in Kannada. There will be a Tamil Mass at 5 am, a Kannada Mass at 6 am, an English Mass at 7 am (to be presided by the Bishop), a Tamil Mass at 8 am (to be conducted by the Bishop) and a Kannada Mass at 6 pm. The Churches across the city have been decorated with stars and lights. Speaking to Star of Mysore this morning, Rev. Fr. N.T. Joseph, Parish Priest, St. Philomena’s Church, said: “Last time the prayers were held in the auditorium and as the inner portion of the Church has been renovated now, the Mass and the services will be held inside the Church. The outer portion which is still undergoing renovation work will be completed in about 8 to 10 months.” A crib has been prepared out of dry hay and cardboards by Sampath and team. This time they have made a small ship next to the crib, on which a model of Santa Claus will be placed. The Bishop will place the Infant Jesus in the crib at midnight. Several hundreds of people were seen thronging St. Philomena’s Church since morning to meet the Priests.