Updated on: 25-Dec-2013
Christmas Mela Organized in Allahabad
The Catholics in Allahabad shared the joy of the Birth of Jesus, Christmas, by organizing a three-day long Christmas Mela in the St. Joseph College Grounds which was inaugurated by Most. Rev. Raphy Manjaly, Bishop of Allahabad on December 25 at 2.30 pm. The Christmas Mela-2013 was organized by the Catholic Diocese of Allahabad under the guidance of this Bishop. Rev. Fr. Louis Mascarenhas, Principal of St. Joseph's College and Rev. Fr. J.B.Castelino shouldered the responsibility of convening the Christmas Mela which will last for three days till the 27th from 2 to 8 pm daily. People flocked towards the Mela grounds in thousands and enjoyed every item of the Mela. Everyone was seen with lots of gusto and enthusiasm.
The people of different faiths came together to celebrate Christmas. They visited St. Joseph's Cathedral and prayed for blessings on their families. The parents brought their children along to spend their winter vacation fruitfully. The people not only enjoyed different recipes but also participated in different games. The children spent most of their time on giant wheels, dragon wheels, disco wheels and on the back of camels. Children enjoyed the dance of the Santa Claus, placed at the entrance of St. Joseph's College. Everyone paid homage to the New Born Jesus found in the crib at the entrance of the Mela grounds. The place which attracted the most crowd was the Bible Exhibition which was depicted colourfully to show the life and message of Christ.
There were beautiful cultural programmes at the Mela. All the programmes brought out the life and teachings of Christ. Bishop Raphy gave a thought provoking Christmas Message and invited everyone to stand for justice and peace in the society.
The cultural committee headed by Rev. Fr. Vincent Pereira presented various dances, group songs and skits with the help of Nazareth Hospital, St. Mary's College, St. Mary's Convent, St .Antony's School and College and Bethany School. The magic show by Ravinder Kumar added entertainment to the programme. He sensitized the people regarding the hazards of tobacco in life. He suggested various ways to prevent cancer. The laughter show by Imran Jafree amused the crowd.