By Passant Hisham & Chidi Emmanuel
KUWAIT: It was a glorious but somber moment at the Catholic Church and National Evangelical Church in Kuwait as thousands of residents prayed in churches as part of the celebration marking the Christmas Day (25th December). Christmas services were held in churches across Kuwait on Sunday (Christmas Eve). Vigil mass and carols were organized all through the week.
Prayers were delivered in several languages including English, Arabic, Urdu, Tagalog, Tamil etc to cater for the diverse expatriate population in Kuwait. The Catholic Church and National Evangelical Church (NECK) premises were illuminated with decorative lights on the Christmas eve. Christian worshippers attended mass and other church activities as they mark the birth of Christ.
While delivering the day’s sermons, the pastors and church leaders prayed for peace in the region. They thanked the Kuwait leadership for promoting peace and religious tolerance. "We congratulate His Highness the new Amir. We pray that God will bless him and grant him good health and wisdom,” Pastor Jolly Joe of the Redeemed Christian Church of God said.
Outside the church premises, there was a heavy presence of Kuwait security operatives who are working earnestly to protect the faithful. Christmas in Kuwait feels different this year amid the Gaza conflict and the mourning period of the late Amir Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah. At the Salmiya Catholic Church, Vector Almeida, an Indian expat, explained that unlike previous years, the church is not holding any musical events or competitions at the church as to respect the current situation of the country and the entire world. "It doesn’t really feel right to celebrate while people are suffering out there,” he noted, referring to the Gaza war.
Compatriot Angelina Dcosta concurred, as she believes there’s more to Christmas than playing music, exchanging gifts or decorating homes. "We are only going to celebrate Christmas this year with the hope that things will change, and that we are all going to be blessed. Not only us, but people everywhere, as this is truly needed at this time,” she said. In expression of her condolences on the demise of Sheikh Nawaf, she added: "We’re praying for his soul to rest in eternal peace, and may he receive grace. Everybody is so sad and touched by his loss.”
Even with the lack of traditional forms of celebrations, people can still find a way to honor this occasion in their hearts and with their families. "Christians feels very solemn this year, but you can feel the spirit of Christmas deeply even if it’s silent,” said Salve Pajarillo, a Filipina churchgoer. Compatriot Dinand Conil noted the essence of Christmas is still reflected in the most precious details, in the bonding with his family and friends and in the basic practices of the religion’s culture and traditions through praying together and visiting one another.
According to Conil, these kinds of religious practices are widely embraced by Kuwait. "I have been in Kuwait for more than 20 years, and I have seen the revolution of how the country has accepted the celebration of Christmas along the years,” he pointed out. Allen Pinto, an Indian churchgoer, echoed his words. "We’re really grateful for the government to give us the opportunity and freedom to celebrate our faith and our religion.”
This occasion holds great significance for every Christian in Kuwait, and they appreciate the different forms the celebration has taken this year to respect the current circumstances. What is more important for them than celebrating is to keep Gaza and the late Amir Sheikh Nawaf in their prayers this year, as they all agreed on one message for Muslims and Christians: Never stop wishing for peace to prevail all over the world.
Christians all over the world celebrated Christmas for the third year after the coronavirus pandemic. Unlike last two years, the Churches in Kuwait City are marking this year’s Christmas without strict health protocols, requiring everyone to wear masks at all times. Faithful are no longer required to observe social distancing in Churches. "Unlike the previous years, this year’s celebration is mask-free but the death of Kuwait’s Amir and the killings in Gaza have dampened the celebration. We pray for peace and end to wars,” Roseline Cole, A Filipino expat told Kuwait Times.