San Thome zone turned into Christmas-land on the eve of Christmas, December 24.
As the evening slid past 9 p.m., there was a quiet buzz in the areas around the churches – in Luz, in San Thome and in R. A. Puram
At Our Lady of Light Church in Luz, commonly called Luz church, carols in English floated in the air as the choir sang at one end of the church campus; religious services were planned in the open air and the well-lit facade of the church which holds up Portuguese architectural elements stood out this evening. ( photo below)
A Holy Mass followed; many nuns and nurses from St Isabel’s Hospital that is on the other side, participated.
On Lazarus Church Road, at Our Lady of Guidance Church, the church choir sang carols in Tamil in the open air where the Mass was held that night. Holy Mass in Tamil followed and the whole campus was packed with parishioners and their guests. ( photo below)
The lavish illumination of churches, stores and restaurants on San Thome High Road, from the Pattinapakkam end to the St. Bede’s School end highlighted the colours of the festival.
Holy Mass in English was celebrated at about 10.30 p.m. in the auditorium of St. Bede’s School after a session of carols. ( photo above is of the choir at St. Bede’s hall at Mass)
Much later, archbishop Rev. George Antonysamy led the celebration of the Christmas Mass in Tamil the open air in the San Thome Cathedral campus, as the clock closed in on the midnight hour. ( first photo featured in this report)
The archbishop cut a large cake at the end of the Mass and distributed it to families who were present. The campus was packed with church-goers, with some youths sporting Santa caps and exchanging wishes.
Elsewhere, the churches on the TTK Road end and R. K. Mutt Road’s south end stood out with lovely illumination marked with scores of lit stars. Services were also held here. ( photo above is of CSI St. Luke’s Church, Mandaveli)
