Telugu Christian community in Gulf celebrating Christmas

Telugu Christians across the Gulf region celebrated Christmas with special prayers, carols and community gatherings. Churches in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Kuwait hosted services in Telugu, reflecting unity, faith and cultural warmth among expatriate communities.

Dubai: The ancient native Christian presence faded with the spread of Islam in the Arabian Gulf region, while modern Christianity flourished with the arrival of expatriate workers following the oil boom.

Christians, including a significant number of faithful hailing from Telugu states, celebrated Christmas in the Gulf region by holding special masses and carols. Christmas services in various languages, including Telugu, were conducted at churches and also by community groups amid Christmas trees and lights in a home-away-from-home atmosphere.

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Christmas in the UAE carries a unique sense of warmth, unity and celebration in a multicultural country, reflecting the spirit of joy and harmony.

Holy Trinity Church became lively during the season as it attracted faithful from various denominations. Holy Trinity Church is a leading church in Dubai that offers services in Telugu. St Paul Church and Nadalshiba Karthoon Group of Dubai also celebrated the festival by offering services in Telugu.

Some Telugu Christians in Dubai experienced the joy of Christmas at sea as they celebrated onboard a cruise. “We received more people than expected,” said Samuel Ratnam, a native of Hyderabad and a long-time resident of Dubai, who arranged the Christmas celebration at Samrat cruise.

As Saudi Arabia continues to grow as a multicultural society, Christmas celebrations demonstrate a broader story of coexistence, where traditions are preserved and shared. In the capital Riyadh, the Indian community marked the celebrations with the support of the Indian Embassy. Revel Antony, a noted Telugu community leader, along with Satish K David, Predin Alex Thomas and other Christian leaders, took part in the celebrations.

“Like every year, we will celebrate Telugu Christmas with the Telugu community,” said Yeranna of SATA, a prominent Telugu community organisation, which is scheduled to mark the event on Friday.

In the port city of Jeddah, the Telugu Christian community celebrated the festival, with Hanok Abhinay leading the service. The community also marked the festival in the industrial city of Yanbu under the leadership of Satish.

In Bahrain, Telugu Kala Samithi celebrated Christmas in collaboration with prominent Telugu Christian organisations such as Telugu Church Group, Kristu Sangam and Christ Worship Center.

In Kuwait, hundreds of faithful thronged the Telugu Christian Congregation, a five-decade-old leading Telugu church in Kuwait, located in Salmiya.