A makeshift bridge that was set up for a Christmas celebration collapsed in Thiruvananthapuram's Poovar area, Kerala on Monday night. Around seven people sustained minor injuries and they were taken to the hospital.
Midnight masses, festivities mark Christmas in Kerala
Meanwhile, the Christian community in the state enthusiastically celebrated Christmas with the festive spirit being heralded by the midnight mass held in churches across the state.
While Cardinal Mar Baselios Cleemis led the midnight mass at the St Mary's Cathedral of Syro Malankara Catholic Church in the state capital, Archbishop Thomas Jessayyan Netto of the Latin Catholic Archdiocese in Thiruvananthapuram conducted the service at St. Joseph's Metropolitan Cathedral at Palayam here.
Apart from them, Archbishop Joseph Kalathiparambil of the Latin Catholic Archdiocese of Verapoly conducted service at St. Francis Assisi Church and Curia Bishop Sebastian Vaniyapurackal, who is also the Administrator of the Ernakulam-Angamaly Archeparchy of the Syro-Malabar Church, led the mass in Kochi. Vaniyapurackal was appointed as administrator following the resignation of Cardinal George Alencherry as the Archbishop of the Syro-Malabar Church. Bishop Varghese Chakkalakal of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Calicut led the midnight mass at the Matri Dei Cathedral, popularly known as the Devamatha Cathedral.
In their Christmas messages to their respective congregations, some bishops and priests referred to various issues, including the wars and conflicts in the world as well as Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan terming as "rescue efforts" the assault on Youth Congress (YC) and Kerala Students Union (KSU) activists allegedly by DYFI workers who showed black flags to him.
