Christmas Prayers Cancelled in Shimla's Church, Tourists Disheartened
Himachal Pradesh's capital Shimla witnessed a wave of disappointment among tourists on Christmas eve when the much-awaited midnight prayer at Christ Church on Tuesday was unexpectedly cancelled. Visitors who had gathered to attend or witness the prayer at the iconic church located on Mall Road were disappointed when the clock struck 12 o'clock, but the prayers did not start. Many people had planned their trip to Shimla especially to attend the event. Despite their disappointment, many tourists decided to embrace the spirit of Christmas by traveling to Shimla, enjoying its festive decorations and participating in other activities.
Despite being disappointed, the tourists remained steadfast, finding solace in the picturesque beauty of Shimla and looking forward to future blessings.
A tourist from Bhopal, was disappointed by the cancellation of the prayers as it was one of the reasons of visit. He further added that his group reached the church before midnight, but as soon as the clock struck midnight, the announcements were made that there will be no prayers. Hence, leaving the tourists with no choiuce but to go back to the hotel.
Many tourists arrived several hours before midnight, eagerly waiting for the annual tradition of midnight prayer with hymns, prayers and a spiritual atmosphere. However, they were disappointed with the cancellation.
Another tourist from Mirzapur in Uttar Pradesh, expressed even deeper disappointment that he came to Shimla only for Christ Church and travelled over 1,500 kilometers to watch the midnight prayer, but it tore his heart to know that it wasn't happening. Still, he managed to get into the church and seek blessings.
Many tourists had planned their itinerary around the event, braving the bitter cold in Shimla to experience it. To add to their disappointment, they were not informed of the cancellation in advance. Visitors said they were not aware of any changes and only found out when they reached the church.