This year, crowded celebrations will not be held in churches due to Covid-19. Christmas Day celebrations will be held in the shadow of restrictions in all Hatay, especially in Iskenderun and Antakya.
The Christmas (Nativity) Day, which is celebrated every year on December 24, will have a very different atmosphere this year. Considering that churches are full on every feast, this year, crowded celebrations will not be held in churches due to Covid-19.
Feast celebrations will be held in the shadow of restrictions in all Hatay, especially in Iskenderun and Antakya. In all Orthodox Churches in Hatay, which have been closed to communities for a while, Christmas Masses will be held without the participation of the communities.
As it is known, the administrators of all Orthodox Churches in the region made a joint decision and announced that the rituals and special celebrations would be held with the participation of only priests and sacristans. For a while, members of the community had not attended the masses. This year, the Christmas Day Sacred Mass is also expected to be held without the participation of the community.
In the Catholic Church of Iskenderun, where the figures of Baby Jesus, the Virgin Mary and her husband Joseph, symbolizing the birth of Jesus Christ, are also located in front of the Altar and the Christmas Trees are simply decorated, the Christmas Mass will be held with the participation of a limited number of community members.
The Holy Christmas Mass will be held at 11.30 on December 25, not the night of December 24 as every year.
