Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Kathmandu (Agenzia Fides) - For Catholics and other Christians in Nepal this was the last Christmas working day: next year Christmas will be a holiday. In response to a campaign launched by religious minorities the government announced that Christmas day will be a holiday a non working day and also the Muslim feast of Id-al-Fitr, at the end of the month of Ramadan.
“We are very pleased”, said Bishop Anthony Sharma, the Apostolic Vicar, noting that the decision is a sign of government recognition of what the Catholic Church is doing in the country to promote moral, spiritual, social and cultural growth. Catholics in parishes and missions are very grateful for the decision and hope that Good Friday and Easter Sunday may also be non-working days so they can devote more time to God. In Nepal the weekly holiday Saturday is, Sunday is a working day.
The Vicar Apostolic said this government decision confirms the favourable moment for the missionary activity in Nepal: in recent months Bishop Sharma asked missionary institutes to send missionaries to open homes to evangelise in Nepal, especially among the youth (see Fides 5/12/2007).
Nepal has a population of 26 million 89% Hindu, 6% Buddhist, 3% Muslim and about one million Christians, many Protestants and 6,226 Catholics. (PA) (Agenzia Fides 21/1/2008 righe 26 parole 268)
