Christians celebrate birth of Christ

Shirley Wijesinghe

COLOMBO: Christians throughout the world celebrate Christmas today, commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ. In Sri Lanka too the Christmas spirit is very much in the air with carol services and nativity plays heralding the great event. The high point of the Christmas programme is the traditional mid night mass for Roman Catholics.

Archbishop of Colombo Rt. Rev. Dr. Oswald Gomis will preside over the Catholic mid night service at St. Sebestian's Church Katuwapitiya in Negombo while Apostolic Nunciature in Sri Lanka Most Rev. Mario Zenari will officiate the festive high mass at St. Lucias Cathedral, Kotahena.

Among the main Catholic shrines in Colombo St. Philip Neri's Church in Pettah in addition to the mid night mass will have services at 7.00 a.m., 8.00 a.m., 9.00 a.m., 10.00 a.m., 11.00 a.m., 12.10 p.m. and at 6.30 p.m. on Christmas day.

St. Fatima's Church in Maradana will commence its mid night service at 11.50 p.m. There will also be services at 7.00a.m.(Tamil), 8.30 a.m. (English), 12.10 p.m. (English).

Christmas day Services at the Church of Christ the Living Saviour, Bauddhaloka Mawatha, Colombo 07 will be conducted at 7.00 a.m.in Sinhala and 8.15 a.m. in English.

The Christmas Day Services of the Maradana Methodist Church will be conducted at 8.45 a.m. in English and 10.15 a.m. in Sinhala.

The Baptist Church of Cinnamon Gardens will conduct bilingual services at 7.45 a.m. and English Service at 9.30 a.m.