Pakistani Christians in Rawalpindi mark Christmas

(25 Dec 2022)
PAKISTAN CHRISTMAS

SOURCE: ASSOCIATED PRESS

RESTRICTION SUMMARY:

LENGTH: 2:09

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Rawalpindi, Pakistan - 25 December 2022

1. Various of Christmas service at Christ Church in Rawalpindi
2. Various of worshippers
3. Tilt-down of church during Mass
4. SOUNDBITE (English) Nadeem Kamran, priest:
"Christmas Day always reminds us that God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son, that who so ever (whoever) believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life."

5. Various of worshippers at Mass
6. Worshippers leaving church
7. SOUNDBITE (English) Sumeria Samran, worshipper:
"Today, it is a very special day. We all are celebrating our Christmas Day. We all are really very happy, enjoying here, and the special celebrations and special service we have just attended."

8. Various of clergy greeting worshippers on their way out UPSOUND: Christmas carols
9. Worshippers leaving church UPSOUND: Christmas carols
10. Exterior of church
STORYLINE:
Members of Pakistan's Christian minority observed Christmas Day Mass at Christ Church in the city of Rawalpindi on Sunday.

Christians in Pakistan are the country's second-largest minority, after Hindus, and are almost evenly divided between Catholic and Protestant denominations.

The minority, among Pakistan’s poorest, has faced an increasingly intolerant atmosphere in this Muslim-majority nation where radical religious and sectarian groups have become more prominent in recent years.

"We all are celebrating our Christmas Day. We all are really very happy, enjoying here," said Sumeria Samran, one of the worshippers who attended the service.

There are some 1.3 million Christians in Pakistan, a predominantly Sunni Muslim country of 225 million people.

Although some Christians have risen to senior positions, many live in impoverished communities commonly referred to as “sweeper colonies” because residents are employed as domestic and sanitation workers.

AP video shot by Mohammad Yousaf

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