Chennai :
This Christmas will be extra special for Reverend Father A M Chinnappa because it is his last as archbishop . After seven years as the head of the Archdiocese of Madras-Mylapore , 75-year-old Fr Chinnappa will retire and the new Archbishop Father George Antonysamy will take over from January. “This will be the last Christmas message that I give at the San Thome Basilica ,” says Fr Chinnappa.
“I will talk about caste issues and how it is more dangerous than terrorism or the electricity shortage ,” he says. With Christmas just a day away, churches across the city are preparing to celebrate and pray. But for some, this Christmas is just a little bit more special than those that came before. At St Theresa’s Church in Nungambakkam, which celebrates 100 years this December, this will be the first Christmas inside the newly restored and expanded church. A new bell tower, ramps for the elderly, and LCD monitors have been installed. A church official says they will be filling the church with flowers this year to mark the special day. If it’s flowers in Nungambakkam, for Mylapore its extra services. A new tradition will begin at the almost 500-year-old Our Lady of Light Luz Church in Mylapore — an extra 9pm English mass on Christmas, New Year and Easter.
“The church was declared a shine in 2010. So, we are trying to include more services,” says Parish Priest Father LC Raynna, who adds that an extra noon mass has been introduced on all weekdays. Christmas is likely to be a quiet affair at the St Mary Armenian Church in Parrys, which turned 300 on December 18.
As there are no Armenians left in the city, there will be no service at the church. The caretaker, Alexander, will open up the church, one of the oldest Armenian churches in India, to the public as usual but there will be no mass or special prayers. St George’s Cathedral near Anna flyover, which will mark its 200th anniversary in a couple of years, started off a little early. The Christmas celebrations were heralded in with a special fun and spiritual campfire on Saturday evening.
source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / Home> City> Chennai / TNN / December 24th, 2012