Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Chavara Cultural Centre
New Delhi (Agenzia Fides) - Celebrating Christian holidays in India "is a precious opportunity for interreligious dialogue and also for the New Evangelization,” Sister Lissy Maruthanakuzhy, an Indian nun from the Congregation of the Daughters of St. Paul, told Fides, referring to the experiences of the Catholic community in India. “The celebrations should be organized not only in places of worship, but also in public and culturally neutral spaces so that people of all faiths can participate freely,” she said.
The nun reported on the celebration of “Asha Ka Mahotsav” (“Easter, celebration of hope”), which was organized by Catholic faithful in Delhi and included a cultural festival at the capital’s Chavara Cultural Centre, which also offers events during the Easter season. The meanings and themes of Easter are conveyed creatively through short theatrical performances, street theater, music, dance, and visual arts, which "represent peace, hope, forgiveness, and new life, thus making the message of the Resurrection accessible to everyone," she emphasizes.
"Through these creative forms of expression, Easter becomes a vibrant public celebration where faith is joyfully proclaimed and shared with all, and this festival of hope continues to resonate in society, even among non-Christians," confirms Father Roby Kannamchirayil of the Carmelites of Mary Immaculate (CMI), director of the Chavara Cultural Center in Delhi, who has been celebrating Easter with interfaith initiatives for 12 years and continues to bring believers of all religions together during the Easter season.
“Easter proclaims the victory of life over death, of love over fear, and of reconciliation over division. In a pluralistic world, Easter offers a great opportunity to bear witness to the Christian faith through unity, openness, and dialogue, by fostering mutual respect, acceptance, and appreciation among people of different religions and cultures, and by creating a platform for peace and harmony,” Father Roby told Fides, describing the activities at the Chavara Cultural Center. Looking ahead to 2033, the year of Christianity’s Great Jubilee, commemorating 2,000 years since the resurrection of Jesus, the priest said: “Let us imagine this becoming a worldwide celebration, where every Christian country can celebrate Easter as a feast of the faith of all Christians, joyfully shared with people of other religions through cultural expressions of faith, hope, and fraternity. Such joint celebrations can become a powerful witness to unity in diversity, to dialogue, and to peaceful coexistence.” (PA) (Agenzia Fides, 14/4/2026)
