Buddhists, Christians unite in Myanmar for Christmas celebration

(December 28, 2009) More than 300 Catholics and 700 Buddhists joined a Christmas Eve celebration on Thursday in the village of Ohn-pin-su in Myanmar, which is home to just one Catholic family. People came from villages in Pantanaw parish, south of Yangon, for the event where the message was one of unity between followers of the two religions. “Although we are from different religions, we all are united as one and ready to help each other when somebody is in need,” said Sein Mary from the village’s only Catholic family. U Thein Shwe, a Buddhist, said the celebration was a great chance for him and other Buddhist villagers to experience Christmas. Parish priest Father Hubert Aung Thein Naing, said it was the third year that Christmas has been celebrated in the village. He said even Buddhist monks came to help them and arranged lighting and decorations. The celebration on Christmas Eve saw the distribution of gifts of clothing to 118 children. There were also Karen ethnic dancing by Buddhist groups, and music and dance performances by the host villagers and Catholic parishioners. There are about 20 villages in the parish. Only 12 villages have 25 Catholic families or more, while the rest have fewer than 10 families, according to U Raymond, a catechist who organized the Christmas celebration.