Photo blog: Candour of Christmas in churches around Penang

Photo blog: Candour of Christmas in churches around Penang

The Church celebrate the Christmas season from 25 December until the feast of the Epiphany, which falls on 8 January this year. A week or so before Christmas day, churches all over the world will put up Christmas decorations, notably the Christmas tree, usually outside the church or inside the church office and most importantly, the Christmas Crib (or also known as the Nativity/Manger Scene) inside the church.

The setting up of the Christmas crib in churches is a time-honoured tradition, of which it had become sort of mandatory during Christmas in all churches. Depending on the creativity of the persons, the Christmas crib can be made in many interesting ways.

The Christmas Crib will be set up before 25 Dec but without the figure of the baby Jesus. It is only on the eve of Christmas, 24 Dec, during the midnight Mass, that the figure of baby Jesus will be carried in by the priest in procession at the beginning of the Mass and placed at the rightful place at the crib…. then the Mass began.

The following are pictures of Christmas trees and Christmas cribs in some of the churches on Penang island.

The Crib in Church of the Immaculate Conception, ready for the arrival of Jesus
The Crib inside the Church of the Divine Mercy
The Crib outside the Church of the Divine Mercy
Christmas Tree at the hall of the Church of the Divine Mercy
Christmas 'Wish' Tree outside the Church of the Divine Mercy
Christmas Tree outside the Church of Our Lady of Sorrows
Christmas Tree inside the Church of Our Lady of Sorrows
Christmas Crib inside the office of the Church of Our Lady of Sorrows
Christmas Crib inside the Church of Our Lady of Sorrows
Christams Tree on the 2nd fl. of the Diocesan Centre office
Christmas Crib on the 2nd fl. of the Diocesan Centre office
Christmas Tree at the Bishop of Penang's office
Christmas Crib at the Bishop of Penang's office

Lucia Lai