Churches host mid-night mass, with Covid precautions

Hyderabad: Churches across the city held special prayers amid the Covid-19 pandemic on Christmas Eve, with many hosting the mid-night mass after a gap of a year.
Last year, city churches had called-off mid-night mass due to Covid-19 restrictions. However, they organised mid-night mass this year, albeit with precautions and additional measures in the backdrop of the new Omicron variant.
The mid-night mass at many churches began around 11pm. Parishioners sang songs and waited for the birth of lord Jesus. The holy communion was celebrated wherein bread and wine were consecrated and shared by the priest.
“We began our all-night vigil at 3am and the service went up to 7.30am. There was a bonfire set up outside the church premises. We took out a ceremonial procession where all the worshippers congregated and prepared to celebrate the birth of lord Jesus,” said Father Lijo Joseph of St Gregorios Orthodox Cathedral in Musheerabad.
In few churches, Holy Qurbana was observed which signifies ‘complete worship’ to unite with the god. “In this service, we call to memory and participate in the redemptive dispensation of lord Jesus who lived on earth. The idea is to pray for an eternal life. Even during the pandemic, we have held special prayers everyday seeking strength to fight this crisis,” said Father Thomas Oommen of St Mary’s Orthodox Church, Ramachandrapuram.