Kerala marks Christmas with prayers, voices concern over attacks elsewhere
Thiruvananthapuram (PTI): Kerala marked Christmas on Thursday with joy and solemn prayers, as churches across the state saw large gatherings of worshippers.
Special prayers began on Wednesday evening and concluded with midnight masses. Thousands of faithful attended services in churches across the state, marking one of the most important days in the Christian calendar.
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The head of the Syro-Malabar Church Raphael Thattil led Christmas prayers at Mount St Thomas in Kakkanad, Kochi.
Addressing the faithful, Thattil said life would bring many challenges, but people should find strength by turning to Christ, who was born in a humble manger. He said faith gives the courage to rise above difficulties.
He added that Christmas opens new doors of hope and possibilities, and that the festival should inspire people to move forward with renewed faith, guided by the light of the Christmas star.
The celebrations, however, were held amid growing concern over reports of attacks on Christians and Christmas events in different parts of the country. The Major Archbishop of the Malankara Catholic Church Cardinal Baselios Cleemis described the situation, where believers are allegedly forced to live in fear in several regions, as extremely serious.
He reminded people that Christmas is a day of hope and joy, and said believers should be able to celebrate freely without fear.
He also said there were deliberate attempts to reduce the importance of Christmas, but stressed that the message of Christ could never be erased from the land.
Calling for peace, he urged people to pray for those spreading hatred and appealed to those in power to govern with justice and a sense of responsibility.
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Hormuz Strait disruptions have caused huge economic impact, energy instability in region: Navy chief
Mumbai (PTI): The Strait of Hormuz disruptions have caused severe economic impact and energy instability in the region, Indian Navy chief Admiral D K Tripathi said on Thursday amid the war in West Asia.
Speaking at an event where INS Sunayna, an offshore patrol vessel, set sail from Mumbai as Indian Ocean Ship (IOS) Sagar, the admiral said competition at sea has no longer remained confined to oil and energy.
It is now expanding towards resources that will shape future growth - such as rare earth elements, critical minerals, new fishing grounds and even data, he said.
The West Asia crisis began on February 28 after a joint attack by the US and Israel on Iran.
Iran's strikes on its neighbours along with its chokehold on the Strait of Hormuz have disrupted the world's energy supplies with effects far beyond West Asia.
"With the conflict in West Asia well into its fifth week, the disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz have caused severe economic impact and energy instability in the region," Tripathi said.
There is significant increase in the marine survey, deep-sea research activity, and Illegal Unreported and Unregulated Fishing (IUU), often encroaching upon the sovereign rights of littoral nations and exploiting gaps in monitoring and enforcement, he said.
Alongside these, threats such as piracy, armed robbery and narco-trafficking backed by unimpeded access of advanced technology to non-state actors, have also become more complex and challenging to counter, the Navy chief pointed out.
Last year alone, the Indian Ocean Region witnessed a staggering 3,700 maritime incidents of varying nature, the admiral said.
Additionally, narcotics seizures in the region exceeded USD 1 billion USD in 2025, highlighting the persistence and spread of such challenges in the region, he said.
