May the celebration of Christmas be joyful and devotional as the Christian community prepares to celebrate Christmas.

By Sandy Verma On Dec 21, 2025

Lucknow. The Christian community in and around the capital Lucknow is preparing to celebrate the great festival of Christmas with joy and happiness on 25 December 2025. The Christmas season, this year, began on Sunday, 30 November 2025 with the beginning of the ‘Advent Season’. *The word ‘Advent’* comes from the Latin word ‘adventus’, meaning ‘arrival’, a four-week prayerful preparation in preparation for Christmas, the celebration of the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ in Bethlehem.

There are many Christmas activities that will showcase the happy and joyful nature of the occasion. Holy Mass with Christmas carol singing will be held at St. Joseph’s Cathedral, Hazratganj, the main church of the city, on 24 December 2025 at around 10.30 pm, and it will be led by Bishop of Lucknow Gerald John Mathias and other priests. This year, the parish members will participate in the midnight Holy Mass on 25 December 2025 and worship services held during the day. The cathedral compound will be decorated with Christmas lights, Christmas crib and Christmas stars, which will reflect the joyous atmosphere of Christmas!

Every year, on Christmas Day, from approximately 10.00 am to 10.00 pm, more than 80,000 people come to the church and Our Lady’s Grotto to light votive candles and pray. Other events to be organized are ‘Christmas Get-Together’ for prominent civic and religious leaders of the city on 26 December 2025 at 4.30 pm.

In his Christmas message, Bishop Gerald Mathias of Lucknow said, *“At Christmas we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace! May this Christmas bring us the real peace and joy provided by Lord Jesus Christ which is so needed in today’s world”. He appealed to the community to return to the spiritual message of Christmas and not commercialize this important holy festival.