Tharae, Christmas marked with “procession of stars”
Tharae (AsiaNews) – A “procession of stars” which involves the entire Archdiocese: it is an ancient tradition, but above all a way to “bring Christ’s light to life, which guides us, a long the path of our lives, teaches us our morals and brings hope to our thirsty hearts”. The Archbishop of Tharae-Nongsaeng, Msgr. Santisukniran, thus explains the great feast which is celebrated in this period to AsiaNews when his 74 parishes “compete” to create the most beautiful star.
The winner is declared on Christmas Eve: they next day, the winning star is processed to the Archbishops residence, where all of the faithful gather to Exchange Christmas greetings. The Archbishop explains: “The procession was brought to Thailand by missionaries. It represents the light of Christ, and that is how it is greeted”.
In recent years the festival has become so popular that the local National Tourist Board has begun promoting it as part of the local tourist attractions. Non Catholics will also participate in the festival, who prepare their own stars “out of respect for the feast of Christmas”.
The Archdiocese of Tharae-Nongsaeng was erected on December 18 1965: the cathedral is dedicated to St. Michael Archangel. Out of 3 million people, 50 thousand are Catholics: among them 55 priests and 136 religious.
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