ABU DHABI // Indian Christians in the UAE shunned the many party events in the capital yesterday in favour of a more spiritual tone to see in the new year.
Many families chose to pray at St Joseph’s Cathedral in Abu Dhabi as a way of keeping in touch with their community and religion.
Although there were several congregations gathered at the church, each holding its own set of prayer sessions and gathering, most people lingered afterwards in the courtyard to talk and exchange gifts. Some spent hours in the company of their fellow Christians.
“New Year is a gift that God has given each one of us to be a blessing to others, because once we come into the threshold of a New Year it is not just our own appearance that matters but the appearance we give to others,” said Alex Binu, vice president of the Church of South India.
He said the church offered worshippers a view that their faith could provide them a chance to persevere in times of crisis.
Mr Binu said he did not judge those who chose to party at the New Year because people could spread their faith even at parties.
“You can party, but what is the meaning of partying? It is to spread the message of God,” he said. “That is why we tell everyone to seek the light in their senses.”
The congregation at the Church of South India worships in their ethnic Malayalam language.
“I pray that there is more, as we have been told, ‘Agape love’, that is unconditional love,” said Mr Binu. “We should forgive, nurture and bring the truth. This is what I need to tell the people.”
The congregation invited Reverend Viji Varghese Eapen, a Keralan, to lead the New Year sermon, in which he outlined three main characteristics for the year ahead.
Referring to the Gospel of Luke, chapter 17, verses 11 to 19, he focused on the words in the chapter.
“The terminology used in that chapter is very interesting,” said Rev Eapen. “There, for 2015, we believe in a God who will mend our relationships, remove the blocks in our lives and help us be born into a new creation.”
He said that attending church at New Year was a time to reflect on the past and be grateful for what had happened and what was yet to come.
“We thought of beginning our New Year with grace, it is the reason we came to church,” said Binu Pothan of the Mor Gregorios Syrian Knanaya Church Abu Dhabi.
Mr Pothan and his wife Jincy had joined a mass earlier on New Year’s Eve, but continued their worship at a more intimate session of evening prayer.
“We are going to participate in a night prayer at the pastor’s house, so we will enter the New Year in prayer. Entering into God’s presence and the New Year in this way will be a great joy for us,” said Mr Pothan.
Asked why they chose not to go out for New Year and celebrate, Mrs Pothan said that “a day in your God’s presence is like a thousand somewhere else – here we get a true joy”.
nalwasmi@thenational.ae