Kathmandu: The Christian community is celebrating Christmas Day to commemorate the birth of Jesus Christ, the founder of Christianity. Jesus Christ is believed to have been born in Bethlehem, Israel some 2022 years ago today, on December 25.
President of the Nepal Christian Federation, CB Gahatraj, says that Jesus Christ gave three main things including salvation, love and peace, and the Christian community celebrates this day for all the three things. Today is celebrated as Love Day for those who came to love people, Peace Day for those who came to establish peace, and Liberation Day for those who came for liberation.
The Federation has been leading Christmas celebrations in Nepal since 2063 B.S.
On the occasion, the government also has announced a public holiday today.
The Federation is hosting a Christmas Festival 2079 event this afternoon where government representatives, human rights activists and the people at large will be present, Gahatraj said.
Thamel, Bouddha, Pokhara, Sauraha and other tourist destinations in the country see a large footfall of people today to celebrate Christmas festival.
President Bhandari extends Christmas greetings
President Bidya Devi Bhandari has extended her best wishes to all Christian Nepalis at home and abroad on the occasion of Christmas.
President Bhandari, in a message of best wishes today, has wished for prosperity, peace and good health to all Nepalis on the occasion.
Christmas Day that falls on December 25 is an annual festival commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ. The festival is a religious and cultural celebration among the Christians.
Various programmes will be organized in Kathmandu, Lalitpur, Bhaktapur and Pokhara among other areas in celebration of this festival.
Stating that such festivals further augment mutual goodwill, tolerance and solidarity among all culture and religious communities thereby further strengthening the national unity, the Head of the State wished that may this festival inspire one and all to build a prosperous Nepal.
Furthermore, she also expressed her confidence that the festival would enhance the feeling of mutual trust, love and unity among all Nepalis.
PM Deuba’s greetings on Christmas
Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba has wished for happiness, peace and prosperity to all Nepali Christians at home and abroad on the occasion of Christmas.
In a message of greetings today, the PM has expressed the confidence that the festival, while marking it as a manifestation of own’s tradition and culture, will help contribute to the development of mutual fraternity, tolerance and national unity.
PM has wished that this festival will inspire all of us for building a prosperous Nepal while deepening the aspirations of mutual confidence, affection and unity among all Nepalis.
Unity amid diversity is identity of Nepalis, VP Pun says
Vice President Nanda Bahadur Pun has said that diverse religious and cultural festivals have given crucial contributions to maintain social unity, goodwill, religious tolerance and ultimately strengthening our national unity.
Giving best wishes to all Christian Nepalis at home and abroad on the occasion of Christmas, he said such festivals would strengthen the unity and cooperation of Nepalis while keeping our mutual goodwill, social unity, brotherhood and tolerance intact.
Recalling that Nepal, a multi-ethnic, multi-lingual, multi-religious, multi-cultural and geographically diverse country, is a secular state, the Vice President expressed his confidence that such festival would energize us in building a developed and prosperous nation.
Festivals help maintain national unity: Gandaki Province Chief Gurung
Gandaki Province Chief Prithvi Man Gurung has said that our diverse festivals would contribute to maintain national unity.
In a message of best wishes of Christmas that falls on December 25, Province Chief Gurung extended his best wishes to all those celebrating the festival and stated that Nepal is a multi-ethnic, multilingual, multicultural, multi-religious and geographically diverse country.
Stating that our country was constitutionally declared secular state, Gurung said that such festivities and religious celebrations would further enhance social amity, tolerance and solidarity among culturally diverse communities.
Christmas Day is an annual festival commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ. The festival is a religious and cultural celebration among the Christians.
The Province Chief articulated his expectation that the Christmas would help maintain mutual goodwill and social unity as well as brotherhood among all Nepalis of all faiths.
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