Kaladi Shri Ramakrishna Paramhamsa Ashram Celebrates Christmas with Message of Interfaith Unity

In a remarkable display of interfaith unity, the Kaladi Shri Ramakrishna Paramhamsa Ashram in Kerala celebrated Christmas with an inclusive and harmonious spirit. As part of its Christmas observance, the ashram conducted a special aarati featuring a picture of Jesus Christ. The event also saw the participation of a Carol group, reinforcing the ashram’s commitment to fostering peace and mutual respect among different religious communities. The celebration took place against the backdrop of rising religious intolerance in India, especially towards Christians, making the ashram’s gesture even more significant.

This celebration is not only a testament to the ashram’s message of unity but also a timely reminder of the urgent need for tolerance in a polarized society. It aligns with the teachings of Ramakrishna Paramhamsa, who advocated for the essential unity of all religions. His philosophy emphasized that love, peace, and mutual respect transcend religious boundaries, and the ashram’s Christmas observance embodied these values.

In these challenging times, when Christians across India are facing increasing attacks and persecution, the ashram's inclusive celebration of Christmas provides a beacon of hope, promoting interfaith harmony. This act of solidarity reflects the ashram’s firm belief in the shared divinity of all human beings, as encapsulated in Ramakrishna Paramhamsa’s words: "There are many roads to God, and the service of man is the service of God, because man is the embodiment of God."

By Fr. Suresh Mathew