Christmas Eve prayers held at Christ Church Shimla; worshippers, tourists gather for evening service

Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) [India], December 24 (ANI): The Christ Church in the north Indian hill town of Shimla held a special Christmas Eve prayer service on Wednesday evening, drawing large numbers of local residents as well as domestic and foreign tourists who gathered to mark the occasion with devotion and festive spirit.
The evening prayers were led by the priest-in-charge of Christ Church, Vinita Roy. The service included gospel readings, hymns and special prayers, during which worshippers lit candles symbolising peace, love and hope. Unlike previous years, no midnight prayer service was held, and celebrations were limited to an evening service.
Speaking with ANI, Vinita Roy said Christmas signifies the presence of God among humanity. "We celebrate that the Lord is with us. He was birth to bring peace and love to a broken world. The Lord has come with a message of love, joy and peace. Christmas is a time to cherish these values. The true meaning of Christmas is Jesus being the word of God," she said.
Speaking to ANI, Vinita Roy shared her Christmas message, saying the celebrations reflected joy and unity among people.
"Today we celebrated Christmas. You can see the entire church is lit up, and there is joy and excitement among everyone. Christmas is a festival of joy. We expect that tourists will further promote development here. Our message for Shimla, Himachal Pradesh and the entire nation is love, peace, joy and happiness. Jesus came as the light of the world. I wish everyone a Merry Christmas filled with love and peace, and I also wish everyone a blessed New Year," she said.
The historic church witnessed a vibrant turnout of visitors spending the festive season in the hill town. Many tourists described the atmosphere as spiritually uplifting and culturally enriching. A tourist from the Netherlands, speaking with ANI after attending the Christmas Eve prayers, said the experience was deeply meaningful for him.
"It has been a wonderful experience. Christmas means a lot to me. One of my friends from Ambala brought me here and said we must come to Christ Church for Christmas. For me, it is a very special occasion. It is wonderful to see such a contrast outside, there is a cultural bonanza, and inside there is prayer happening," he said.
Another tourist, Rob Mandel Lewis from the United Kingdom, also shared his experience with ANI.
"I came to Shimla today from Chandigarh and will stay for three nights. I came for the evening prayers. I have never missed the midnight mass in my entire life. We celebrate Christmas and will celebrate Christmas Day here as well. It is quite refreshing to celebrate Christmas here different languages, different performances, and diversity in religion. Tonight's message was that Jesus is a gift given to humanity, a message of peace and love. A nation can benefit from this message," he said.
Lewis added that Christmas celebrations differ across countries. "In the UK, we have a different kind of Christmas. After lunch, we watch the King's message. We don't have that here, but here there is a colourful vibe, spicy food, and a deep cultural richness," he said.
Christ Church, one of Shimla's most iconic landmarks, continues to remain a major attraction during Christmas, offering visitors a blend of spiritual reflection, heritage and festive warmth. (ANI)