This year’s Christmas celebrations will emphasize charity, as Bishop Dereck Fernandes of the Belagavi diocese announced on December 23. He shared that the theme for this year’s festivities is “Pilgrims of Hope,” marking 2,025 years since the birth of Jesus Christ.
In a press meeting at the Bishop’s House in Belagavi, Bishop Fernandes highlighted the significance of this milestone. Churches and Christian organizations worldwide will focus on charitable acts, such as feeding the poor and offering care to those in need. In Belagavi, a midnight mass will be held on December 24, followed by a procession on December 29 from St. Joseph’s School to the church. The procession will see participation from believers across Goa, Karnataka, and Maharashtra’s Chandagad taluk, with an estimated 3,000 people expected to attend.
Reflecting on the 2,025 years since Christ’s birth, Bishop Fernandes drew a parallel between the chaotic environment of Christ’s birth in Palestine and the current situation. He called on people to remember the poor and marginalized through acts of sharing and charity.
“We must follow the Vatican’s guidelines,” he said. “Jesus was neglected by the rich and powerful in his time, and if we neglect the poor today, we are rejecting Jesus again.”
Bishop Fernandes emphasized that Christmas is a reminder of how love, hope, and generosity can unite humanity and transform lives. “As we light candles, sing carols, and exchange gifts, let us also open our hearts in love towards everyone and our environment, becoming instruments of God’s presence in the world.”
He also encouraged people to unite as one family, inspired by the humility of the manger and the promise of the star-lit sky, to build a brighter and more hopeful future. Cribs depicting the birth of Jesus will be set up in some churches, illustrating today’s crises, such as war and climate disasters.
