Christian Festival in 2023

Christianity is the most popular religion followed in the world. While Christianity is the third-largest religion followed in India after Hinduism and Islam. Though Hinduism is the dominant religion of the country, all-important Christian festivals are celebrated with equal enthusiasm. Various other Christian festival is celebrated in a grand manner in various parts of India.

Christians mostly lived in South India, the Konkan coast, and Northeast India. India’s 29 million Christians constitute only 2.3 percent of the country’s population, making them the second-largest religious minority in the country after Muslims.

The origins and prominence of Christian denominations and groups vary across the country, but Christianity’s earliest tryst with India came in the first century AD when the disciples of St. Thomas arrived in the southern state of Kerala. He reached the Malabar Coast (Kerala) in 52 AD. And, he carried on preaching in every nook and corner of India until martyred.

From there on began the spread of Christianity in India and the majority of the Christians live in the states of Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Goa, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Sikkim, Nagaland, Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh, etc. Besides these regions, the rest part of India is also inhabited by Christians but with a lower percentage of the population.

Goa, Kerala, and some parts of Mumbai City are highly populated by Christians. Christian communities are not living so frequently as Hindu or Muslims reside all over India. The main division of Christians in India is like in the Christian world, Protestants, and Catholics. There are also different denominations among them, Syrian Church, Armenian Church, Anglican Church, and others. Most of the Indian Christians were converted by the Portuguese.

The main Christian festivals celebrated in India are Ash Wednesday, Holy Week, Palm Sunday, Maunday Thursday, Good Friday, Easter Sunday, Pente cost Sunday, St. Thomas, Assumption of Mary, Nativity of Mary, All Saint’s Day, All Soul’s Day, St. Francis Xavier’s Day and Christmas.

Christmas is the most important festival for Christians when Lord Jesus Christ was born. Good Friday is also traditionally celebrated to remember the death of Jesus. Christians believe that Jesus was crucified and died on a Friday. Easter or Pascha is the Resurrection Day of Jesus celebrated in late March or April with a lot of enthusiasm. This festival is also termed a movable feast as it follows the cycle of the moon. The Easter season lasts for 40 days from Ash Wednesday to Good Friday. While Easter Week also marks the end of Lent (a season of prayer and penance).

Christian Festival Calendar 2023