Church services, community feasts mark Christmas celebrations in Christian-majority Mizoram

Aizawl, Dec 25 (PTI) Christmas was celebrated across Mizoram on Thursday with traditional fervour to commemorate the birth of Jesus Christ, as churches of various denominations held special services.

Group songs and special Christmas-related performances were presented by youth members and children of local churches, conveying messages of love, peace and joy.

Traditional congregational singing services, known locally as ‘Zaikhawm’, were also held following church services.

The celebrations began on Wednesday evening, locally called ‘Urlawk zan’, during which worship services, dedication programmes and congregational singing were organised by churches.

The Roman Catholic Church also held midnight mass on Christmas Eve.

While most churches in Christian-majority Mizoram observe Christmas for two days, the duration of the celebrations sometimes extends to a week, depending on local convenience.

A traditional high tea, known as ‘Thingpui ruai’, was served on Thursday, while community feasts, an integral part of Christmas celebrations, will be organised on Friday by most churches, including the Mizoram Presbyterian Church and the Baptist Church of Mizoram.

However, some indigenous churches began the community feasts on Thursday.

Mizoram, which celebrated the centenary of the arrival of Christianity in 1994, observes Christmas as a blend of religious devotion and traditional practices.

Despite influences of Western-style celebrations, the Mizo people continue to follow customs rooted in their historic traditions.

Some Christian denominations, including the Seventh-day Adventist Church, do not observe Christmas. PTI CORR SOM