Hark now hear the angels - and people - sing.
Like people from across the world, residents of Jamshedpur soaked in the Yuletide spirit on Friday as they prayed, sang carols and feasted on plum cakes to celebrate the birth of Jesus.
All 29 churches in the city were brightly decked up to welcome "Mary's boy child".
Almost all Roman Catholic churches in the city started their midnight mass from 11pm onwards on Thursday. St Joseph's Cathedral in Golmuri, the biggest church in Jamshedpur, witnessed a crowd of around 2,000 for midnight mass on Thursday.
Obeying tradition, Bishop Father Felix Toppo at the prayer service at midnight placed Baby Jesus on the crib inside the church.
Caroling at St Joseph's Cathedral and other Roman Catholic churches began from 10.30pm on Thursday.
"Christmas spreads the message of love and peace. It is about letting us learn to live in peace and harmony accepting that we all are god's children. We need to keep open the door of our hearts for all and have concern for the poor and needy," said Father David Vincent, vicar-general of Catholic Diocese of Jamshedpur.
While most Catholic churches like Lupita Hall in Telco, St Joseph's cathedral in Golmuri had a midnight mass and a morning mass, St Mary's Church in Bistupur had three prayer services - Thursday evening for senior citizens, midnight mass and Friday morning. Roman Catholic churches in the city started morning prayer services between 6.30am and 7am.
Midnight mass at St Joseph's Cathedral was conducted in Hindi but the morning prayer was held in English.
Baptist and other well-known churches including Beldih Church, Emmanuel Baptist Church, and St George Church, held mass prayer services in the morning.
"We attended mass prayer at Lupita Hall in Telco on Friday. After morning prayer, it is time for us to wish family and friends," said Vikas Stephen, a member of Jamshedpur Catholic Diocese youth wing.
"Christmas means family and home. I have come from Delhi to spend Christmas and New Year with my family in Jamshedpur. We went to Beldih Church for mass prayer service at 9am," said Rajiv Robin, a Gurgaon-based entrepreneur.
