On Christmas Day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended the Christmas morning service at the Cathedral Church of the Redemption in New Delhi along with a large congregation of Christians from Delhi and north India.
The service included prayers, carols, hymns and a special prayer for the prime minister by the Righ Reverend Dr Paul Swarup, the bishop of Delhi.
ANI adds:
Choir singers at the Cathedral Church of the Redemption in Delhi were overjoyed over Prime Minister Modi celebrating Christmas with them on Thursday.
Speaking with ANI, Sara, a choir singer at the service, said, "The prime minister attended the whole service and also offered prayers. He saw our choir sing too. It felt great that he celebrated Christmas with us... It was a good experience."
Another choir singer, Akanksha, said, "Our day became happier when the prime minister visited and we sang in front of him."
'Attended the Christmas morning service at The Cathedral Church of the Redemption in Delhi. The service reflected the timeless message of love, peace and compassion. May the spirit of Christmas inspire harmony and goodwill in our society,' Modi said in a post on X.
'May Christmas bring renewed hope, warmth and a shared commitment to kindness,' he added.
Over the last few years, Modi has been regularly attending programmes that have connected with the Christian community.
In Easter 2023, he attended an Easter programme at the Sacred Heart Cathedral in Delhi. During Christmas 2023, he hosted a programme at his residence at 7 Lok Kalyan Marg, Delhi.
In 2024, he attended a dinner at Minister George Kurian's residence and a programme hosted by the Catholic Bishops' Conference of India.
Photographs curated by Anant Salvi/Rediff
Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff