by Qaiser Felix

Parish priests in every church in the country have placed four candles on the altar, to be lighted one at the time, on each Sunday during Advent. Karachi archdiocese inaugurates Christmas programme for the laity.

Lahore (AsiaNews) – As the signal for the start of Advent ahead of Christmas Catholic churches in Pakistan have decided to light a candle on the altar in front of three other candles, each one in turn waiting to be lighted.

Indeed throughout the country parish priests lighted the first of four candles on the first Sunday of Advent to mark the coming of Christmas and get the faithful ready to relive the birth of the Messiah. At the same time all Pakistani priests started to talk about the importance of this period which must be experienced as a time “of prayer, repentance and preparation”.

The Catechetical Centre in Karachi on November 25 launched a special programme to prepare the faithful. Over 500 people from various walks of life participated in the event.

“The Centre empowers the laity in almost all its programmes,” said Fr Arthur Charles, director of the centre. “It assists them to plan and conduct the religious programmes,” he added.

Addressing the audience Fr Charles said that “Advent is a time of preparation; a season in which we can focus on the promised return of our Lord Jesus Christ. We invite our people to prepare to embrace the gift God sent to earth in his Son, Jesus, and never leave him”.

• pakistan
• karachi
• advent
• fr
• arthur
• charles
• catechetical
• centre
• laity
• programme