[Watch] Churches In Odisha’s Cuttack Gear Up For Muted Christmas Celebrations Amid Omicron Scare

Cuttack: The churches of the city are all decked up to celebrate Christmas. Tableaux depicting the birth and life story of Jesus Christ have been prepared inside the churches. Our Lady of Most Holy Rosary Cathedral at Cantonment Road and churches at Tuslipur and Bidyadharpur have all geared up for December 25.
However, the raging COVID wave across the world has cast a shadow of uncertainty over the celebrations. Father Prabodh Kumar Pradhan of Rosary Cathedral said unlike other years, this year the celebrations would be comparatively muted.
“We will strictly follow mask and social distancing norms. The decoration on the church campus has been scaled down to avoid crowding. The prayer meeting of devotees has been divided into two slots – from 7 to 8 pm and from 8 to 9 pm, so that many people don’t gather inside the church,” he said.

The government has advised to hold celebrations inside homes and avoid places of mass gatherings in wake of the Omicron scare this year.
Devotees said, it was sad that the celebrations won’t go full throttle like in the past.
“Whether in the church or at home, our love and devotion for Lord Jesus remains the same. That is the most important thing,” said another young devotee.
“The decorations are nothing compared to earlier years. We can only pray that Covid leaves us soon and the celebrations get back to their normal enthusiasm,” said a student who visited the church on Thursday.