রামকৃষ্ণ মিশনে খ্রিস্টমাস পালন, প্রার্থনা শিলচরেও
Transcending divide, Ramakrishna Mission celebrates Christmas

December 25: When many people being confined into narrow religious compartments argue about the greatness of one’s own religion, Ramakrishna Mission presented a unique example of religious cohesion and brotherhood. The scenes were unique at Ramakrishna Mission Institute of Culture in Kolkata when the monks of the Ramakrishna order and a Catholic priest came together to celebrate Christmas Eve ahead of Christmas. This day is celebrated each year at various branches of the Ramakrishna Math. In a goodwill gesture, Ramakrishna Mission invited the Archbishop of Kolkata to join the celebrations. This day is celebrated each year at various branches of the Ramakrishna Math.

The Ramakrishna Mission’s Christmas connection goes back to over a century. Four months after Sri Ramakrishna passed away in 1886, Swami Vivekananda, along with eight of his disciples, gathered at Antpur village in Hooghly district’s Serampore area and took informal monastic vows on Christmas Eve. The disciples pledged sanyas (asceticism) on the same day and later built an ashram in Antpur village as a tribute to their guru. “Since then, the Christmas Eve is observed as an important day by the monks and devotees across 237 Ramakrishna Math and Missions centres in 27 countries,” said one of the monks of the Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission.

The people gathered got to witness special scenes in the form of rituals and aarti for Jesus Christ by Ramakrishna monks. Along with the Christmas tree, colorful decoration, lights and a host of food items kept around the pictures of Jesus Christ and Mother Mary provided an enchanting picture. After lighting of candles and making offering to Lord Jesus, carol songs – “Silent Night, Holy Night…”, “Oh come all ye Faithful…”, “Hark the Herald Angel Sing……”, and “Joy to the World…” were sung.

A similar celebration in a solemn and befitting manner of the birth of Jesus Christ was also witnessed at Silchar Ramakrishna Mission on the eve of Christmas. Not just carols and Bible reading, the monks of the Ramakrishna order highlighted the importance all religions during their discourse.  On this day, the Temple was decorated nicely with photos of Baby Jesus Christ and also Lord Jesus.

way2barak wishes all our readers and well wishers a very Merry Christmas…..