Fear grows among Orissa Christians ahead of Christmas

(December 17, 2010) As fear among Christians in eastern India’s Orissa state is growing with the approach of Christmas, an archbishop is urging his faithful not only to be vigilant but also to build peace and harmony with Hindus during Christmas time. The trauma of the December 2007 anti-Christian violence is still impressed in the memory of priests, religious and faithful of the state. That violence was followed by a deadlier one in August 2008, centred in Khandamal district. “It is necessary to remove the poison that has been injected in the minds of the people against the Christians. Please study and act. It is our need and we are in a war with people who want to destroy Christian minorities in Kandhamal and in India at large,” Archbishop Raphael Cheenath of Cuttack-Bhubaneswar said. After the persecution in 2007 and 2008, the coming of Christ is more relevant and essential because Jesus will enable us to bring all of us together. He will guide us to form communities in which we will be able to live in peace and harmony,” the prelate said. He urged his faithful to greet also the brothers and sisters of other faiths, saying “God wants all to be saved.” Kishen Kumar, district collector in Kandhamal, reassured the archdiocese that the administration would provide security arrangements for Church celebrations during Christmas week.