Pope Francis opened the Holy Door, which is opened only once every twenty-five years, in St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican. With this, the Jubilee Year celebrations of the global Catholic Church began. The opening ceremony of the Holy Door took place at 11.30 pm Indian time on Tuesday.
On December 24, the 2025 Jubilee celebrations will begin with the celebration of Holy Mass in cathedrals and co-cathedrals under the auspices of bishops. Pope Francis will also open the Holy Door in Rome’s Rebibbia prison during the Jubilee Year. The ceremony was on 25th December.
Rebibbia is one of the major Italian prisons intended for rehabilitation and social reintegration of inmates. This is the first time in history that a Pope has opened the Holy Door in a prison.
Meanwhile, the celebrations of Christmas are progressing throughout the world. Priests have come forward with love and sweetness to share the joy of Christmas. Devotees shared gift of Christmas cakes and exchanged Christmas greetings. Emphasizing the relationship among the Christian community, priests are adding that the joy that these meetings bring every year are not small. Such gatherings and sharing of sweets are essential to maintain communal harmony in society.
Indian-origin NASA astronaut Sunita Williams and her crew aboard the International Space Station (ISS) have extended Christmas greetings to everyone from the space. Williams is spending Christmas in space this year, bringing holiday cheer to the crew and keeping in touch with the loved ones despite being far from Earth. NASA had reported that “the crew of seven, including Sunita Williams, will enjoy a shared meal and connect with their families back on Earth.”
This heartwarming gesture reminds us of the unity and hope the holidays bring, even across vast distances. Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore won’t be back on Earth before March 2025, but they’ve got candy canes and Santa hats to celebrate the holiday.
This year, another Christmas has arrived, bringing a message of joy and peace. Different countries and cities there are welcoming Christmas with stars, Christmas trees, garlands, lighting, bells and related more decors, as Christmas is a day celebrated by Christians all over the world. Every Christmas is a reminder of the birth of Jesus Christ, who brought a message of peace, harmony, and tolerance to the world. During these days one can see a lot of angels. Santa Claus will be everywhere. What exactly do Christians celebrate at Christmas!
Originally it is the celebration of the birth of Jesus more than 2000 years ago. The coming of Jesus has changed the world. All of us count the years BC and AD: Before Christ and Anno Domini: the year of the Lord.
Long before Jesus’s birth – about 700 BC – the prophet Isaiah already writes about the coming of Jesus as the Savior of the world-“The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned […] For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on His shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”
Jesus is not just a special person, He is God, who became man. “We have seen His glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.”
As per different sayings: It is fantastic that the almighty God was willing to humble Himself and in Jesus Christ became a human being to carry the wages of our sin and sorrow. A song of adoration says: “Christ Jesus, who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to His own advantage; rather, He made Himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled himself by becoming obedient to death – even death on a cross! Therefore, God exalted Him to the highest place and gave Him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”
As human beings, we cannot ascent to God. We are not acceptable for God in ourselves. We have sinned and cannot stand before a holy God, but in Jesus Christ God came down to us. Jesus opened His arms and invited us: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest”. This invitation still stands today.
The Bible says: “To all who did receive Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God”.
It is said that Jesus is the most wonderful gift God has ever given to mankind. “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Let us all celebrate this wonderful gift. And don’t forget to accept this gift in one’s own life.” That’s what we all celebrate on this pious day!
The birth of Jesus was surrounded by miracles and supernatural occurrences. An old childless couple suddenly conceiving; angels appearing; a mysterious star guiding scholars from the East to Bethlehem and so on.
The virgin birth is important to the understanding of Jesus, because it shows that He was completely unique. His birth was not brought about by a man’s actions, but by God’s power. As the Son of God, He had no earthly father. He was both fully man and yet fully God. He was born a Savior, as God told Joseph in a dream “You are to give him the name Jesus, because He will save people from their sins”.
As December 25 approaches, the world gears up for the joyous celebration of Christmas, each region infusing its own distinctive charm into the festivities. Christmas is a universal occasion that brings people together to commemorate the blessings of the entire year, cherishing the essence of family and indulging in delectable treats such as cakes, cookies, and an array of culinary delights. In anticipation of this momentous occasion, diverse traditions unfold globally, highlighting the spirit of togetherness, gratitude, and the joy that defines the Christmas season.
People celebrate Christmas by exchanging gifts, decorating their homes, celebrating with parades or parties, dedicating prayer, and sharing food and drink. Every family may also have treasured traditions and ways to celebrate Christmas – like watching holiday movies, or teaming up to cook an elaborate feast.
Christmas traditions around the world are unique as they come and hold special relevance to elevate the occasion. Some traditions are as old as time, and some are an amalgamation of different cultures coming together.
The Christian Latinx community in Mexico and other Latinx countries observe Noche Buena on Christmas Eve to mark the night before Christ. The celebration typically involves a big midnight feast, singing, and dancing. Part of the tradition also includes smashing pinatas and enjoying festive food.
Christmas is not a religious holiday in Japan, but people have been celebrating it for the past few decades. Many Japanese associate romance with Christmas and often go out on cozy dinner dates.
In France, celebrations usually kickstart by December 5, but Christmas Eve is the most special. People hold a large feast called Le Réveillon De Noël – with close friends and family, usually after midnight.
There’s a small population of Christians, in China, who celebrate Christmas. One of the most common traditions there is to gift your loved one’s apples on Christmas. Families also put up a plastic Christmas tree, called the “tree of light”, and decorate it with lanterns and paper flowers.
Sweden, Finland and Norway begin Christmas festivities early in December with St Lucia’s Day. This holiday remembers St Lucia, one of the earliest Christian martyrs, who died to keep her Christian beliefs. Public processions are a significant part of the celebration, where girls and boys dress in white and sing traditional songs. The eldest daughter of each family also serves coffee and baked goods like saffron bread and ginger biscuits.
Celebrations in Goa, Kerala, Mumbai, and the Northeast, of India, amalgamate Western and local traditions. In Australia, it’s also the time when summer vacations begin. Those who are devout visit the church to pay their respects. Even though Santa Claus is most associated with Christmas, the Spaniards believe it’s Reyos Magos or the ‘Three Wise Men’ who deliver presents to children. Christmas (Navidad in Spanish) begins on December 24 and until January 6. Many families recreate the nativity scene, recalling a tradition that has been around since the 18th century in the country. Desserts are of prime importance as well, each full of sugary, nougaty goodness. Christmas Eve is also one of the only times in the country when the streets, shops, bars, and restaurants are empty, as everything shuts downs. Christmas in Spain is about family, and people strongly believe in spending this time with their loved ones.
In fact, Christmas is an annual festival commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ, and observed primarily as a religious and cultural celebration among billions of people around the world. This celebration is more than an occasion or festival to decorate our houses. It is an opportunity to pause and give thanks for the love, hope and joy found in the Savior. “CHRISTMAS”-a shortened form of Christ’s Mass- is a time of spiritual reflection on the important foundations of the faith. It’s when Christians celebrate God’s love for the world through the birth of the Christ child: Jesus”.
Educationist/Administrator/Editor/Author/Speaker
Commencing teaching in his early twenties, Prof Aggarwal has diverse experience of great tenure in the top institutions not only as an educationist, administrator, editor, author but also promoting youth and its achievements through the nicest possible content framing. A revolutionary to the core, he is also keen to address the society around him for its betterment and growth on positive notes while imbibing the true team spirit the work force along with.
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