Himachal Pradesh: Devotees, locals, and tourists attend Good Friday service at Shimla's Christ Church

Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) [India], April 18 (ANI): On Good Friday, members of the Christian community, locals, and tourists gathered at Christ Church in Shimla to commemorate Jesus Christ's crucifixion.
Dr Vinita Roy, the Priest-in-Charge of Christ Church Shimla, led the Good Friday service following the traditions of the Church of North India.
Speaking to ANI, she said that today, the Christ Church will hold prayer services from 12 noon to 3 pm.
"First of all, as the priest-in-charge of this church, I would like to extend my greetings on the occasion of Good Friday. Around the world, this is the day when Lord Jesus Christ was crucified between 9 am and 3 pm. Many churches hold prayer services from 9 to 12, while most organise special prayers between 12 noon and 3 pm. We too are holding our service from 12 to 3 pm as per the tradition of the Church of North India," Roy told ANI.
She added that today's Good Friday service will feature prayers and scripture readings.
"You can see that many members of the congregation are coming to participate in the prayers. In this worship, we give thanks to Jesus for His sacrifice on the cross at Calvary. He laid down his life for the sake of humanity and opened the path to salvation. Today, we will spend most of our time in prayer and reflection. We will read scriptures and reflect upon the seven last sayings of Jesus Christ from the cross," she added.
Roy added that the Christ Church would remain open throughout the day to allow devotees and visitors to offer prayers.
"The church will stay open the whole time so that people can come in, pray, and receive blessings. It is open for tourists too, so they can join in and seek peace and grace," she said.
Among the many who joined the service were tourists from across India. One such visitor, Karan Vohra, a tourist from Gujarat, shared his thoughts on the experience.
"Shimla is a beautiful place. We came to the church today and it's just as beautiful from the inside. This is a special church. Prayers were going on when we visited. We're going to Jakhu for more prayers. I didn't know much about Good Friday before, but now I understand the importance. I hope this message reaches everyone," he said.
Good Friday is a significant day for Christians worldwide, including those in India, who observe this solemn day on the Friday before Easter, which typically falls in March or April.
The observance is particularly notable in the north-eastern states of Nagaland, Mizoram, Meghalaya, Manipur, and Arunachal Pradesh, along with regions such as Goa, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, and Kerala, which boasts the largest Christian demographic in the country.
Various regions have alternative names that reflect the nature of the occasion; for instance, it is known as Duhkhavelli in Malayalam, translating to "Sad Friday," and as Periya Velli (the Big Friday) or Punita Velli (Good Friday) in Tamil. (ANI)