Christmas, the most important holiday for the Christian community, was celebrated on Sunday with traditional church services, prayers for world peace, gift-giving, and cake-cutting ceremonies reflecting traditional zeal and enthusiasm despite strict security measures.
Homes, markets, and city churches were all decorated with lights while children and young people visited parks, playgrounds, churches, and other places of worship.
Family gatherings were a defining feature of the festive season, which began with prayers and other church rituals.
Christmas prayer at the St John’s Cathedral Church in Peshawar
Christmas prayer at the Bethel Memorial Methodist Church in Quetta
A Christmas Day service at the St. John’s Cathedral in Peshawar
On the eve of Christmas, Rawalpindi District Police completed the complex security plans.
According to a police spokesperson, 3,200 police personnel were deployed throughout the city In order to prevent any untoward incidents with special deployments made at churches and public locations.
“No one was allowed to park vehicles near churches. Walk-through gates were installed at the entrance of the churches and the visitors were checked through metal detectors,” Police Spokesperson Said.
Standing guard during a Christmas prayer service at the Bethel Memorial Methodist Church in Quetta are members of the Frontier Constabulary.
A Christmas prayer service at the Sacred Heart Cathedral in Lahore
Christmas prayer service at the Sacred Heart Cathedral in Lahore
The Christian community celebrates the holiday by participating in a variety of events, from large formal gatherings to small-scale cake-cutting ceremonies, lighting up homes, and attending church services.
On Friday, special cake-cutting events were held at a number of ministries and divisions to celebrate the festival with Christian staff members and recognise their contributions.
Prayers were said during special services held in churches all over the nation for the safety of all people from disease and natural disasters as well as for Pakistan’s peace, progress, and prosperity.
