Churches give final touches to cribs, carollers begin their rounds

MUMBAI: Churches of Catholic, Protestant and New Life denomination are all putting the finishing touches to Christmas preparations. Ornately designed cribs and big stars with light bulbs at the core will be unveiled on Christmas Eve even as rounds of carol singing are under way in several parishes. The youth of Good Shepherd Church at Four Bungalows, Andheri, are a bright and enthusiastic lot with an innovative bent of mind.During Lent, they had crafted a unique installation to protest the burning down of churches in New Delhi. They prepared a lifesize figure of Jesus Christ from wire mesh and placed it against the backdrop of a church that was shown going up in flames. “Now for Christmas they have made a crib that shows the hold digital gadgets have on modern life,” says parish priest Ivan Mascarenhas.
By night, Sacred Heart Church in Santacruz makes a beautiful spectacle from S V Road owing to the grand open crib that faces the street. Spokesman Fr Allwyn Nazareth says this year, their affiliated schoolchildren have created the crib. “Last weekend, we had organized rounds of carol singing and stopped by 12 crosses in the area. We also had a sale of homemade Christmas goodies.”
St Francis Xavier Church at Dabul in Thakurdwar is among the few whose crib is ready well before December 24. Fr Venancio Mascarenhas led the preparation. He says midnight mass will be held indoors at midnight. “Ours is a big heritage church, so we are expecting around 1,800 people to arrive. Mass will be read by the parish priest Ashlyn Fonseca,” he says.
This is a special season for the 60 families affiliated to St Andrew’s Marathi Church in Agripada. This house of worship is affiliated to the Church of North India (CNI). “We are celebrating our centenary with a special flourish. Before mass on Christmas morning, we will lead a procession of 250 people followed by community breakfast. A fun fair will be held on December 26-27,” says treasurer Cyril Dara.
One of the pillars of the CNI is Afghan Church, Colaba, which was built as a war memorial to the soldiers who were killed in the Afghan War of 1838. Over the years its parish strength has reduced as families have moved northward but the charm of its midnight Christmas service remains intact. Each season, the Wild Voices Choir, led by George John performs, at Christmas Eve. John has always been full of praise for the extraordinary acoustics of the church which lend themselves to choral singing. “We have been rehearsing both traditional and contemporary carols this year,” he says.