Thousands of Hindus in Orissa attend Christmas Mass, a sign of hope for 2013

(Jan. 02, 2013) In eastern India’s Orissa State, hundreds of thousands of Christians and Hindus took part in Midnight Mass in the parishes of Kandhamal, Bubhaneshwar and other districts in the state. For Archbishop John Barwa of Cuttack-Bhubaneshwar, "the level of participation is unprecedented in the history of the Church in Orissa". The prelate said that "sense of peace, festivity and prayer was palpable in the churches.
Catholics and non-Christians came to Mass with their families. Hundreds of children brought flowers and candles, which they placed before crèches to pay homage to the Baby Jesus. In light of the anti-Christian events by Hindu extremists in 2007 and 2008 that left hundreds dead, this is an extraordinary fact, Archbishop Barwa told Asianews.
For the prelate, the large crowd is a sign that Christ brings together people from all nations. "All that we are, and all that we have is God's gift," the archbishop said. "The New Year, 2013, the Year of Faith, is God's gift to us who are privileged. I hope the New Year will be rich in opportunities to work together and that it may bring hope, harmony and communion in Orissa," said Archbishop Barwa.