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Christmas in Orissa for Hindu prisoners
by Santosh Digal
A priest visits inmates in Balliguda, Khandamal. The district was the scene of anti-Christian violence. A tearful Hindu prisoner says he was lonely and in despair. “Now I know and feel that God is with me and will not abandon me”.
Bhubaneswar (AsiaNews) –“Christmas is not just to be celebrated during the season of Christmas but to be lived in every moment of our life,” said Fr Florence Ranasingh, from the Archdiocese of Cuttack-Bhubaneswar (Orissa). “Christmas reveals that the Child Jesus is the Prince of Peace. He came into the world to restore peace and unity.” A few days ago, the clergyman visited inmates in a prison in Balliguda, Khandamal District, to whom he spoke about the importance of Christmas. The district itself was the scene of anti-Christian pogroms in 2007 and 2008.
One of the prisoners, a Hindu, with a pale face and tearful eyes stood up and introduced himself to the priest. He read him a poem he wrote about life behind bars. “Since I was brought to jail, nobody has come to see me,” he said after reading his poem.
“In the last few months, I have felt depressed, rejected, humiliated and hopeless, isolated from everything and everyone. I thought my family had forgotten me, that people had deserted me, that God had done the same. Despairing, I wrote this poem.”
“Then, a fellow inmate gave me a Bible and I started reading it. Now I know and feel that God is with me. He is suffering with me in this prison. Today, the Lord came to visit me through you.”
The priest was left speechless. “For me, this is the true sense of Christmas. This year, this celebration reminds us that God is with us and accepts us for what we are. The Lord visits us and frees us from all of our bondages, like pride, jealousy, anger, hatred, vengeance, consumerism, arrogance and sin. Only the Lord Jesus can free us from this slavery.”
“Today’s society is a victim of violence,” Fr Ranasingh added. “Kandhamal District lost its peace and unity during the waves of anti-Christian persecution of 2007 and 2008. Where there is violence, there is no peace; where is no peace, there is no unity. Sadly, violence between religions, castes and social classes is spreading.”
“Only reconciliation and forgiveness can lead to peace and clear the way for unity,” he said.