No more Christmas in Nepal?

Nepal has officially stopped recognizing Christmas as a national holiday

Nepal first recognized Christmas as a national holiday eight years ago, but the 2015 Christmas celebration will be its last. Nepali government officials announced Christmas is no longer recognized as a national holiday, prompting the Christian minority to rise together in protest.

LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - According to Christian Today, the Nepali government claims it is overrun with nationally recognized holidays spanning several religions.

The government claims it is not trying to persecute Christian beliefs and Shakti Basnet, the minister for home affairs, told Asia News, "We are forced to take such a decision not to hurt Christians, but to control the rising number of public holidays."

Though Nepal claims its decision was not meant to persecute Christians, calls for an immediate reinstatement of the holiday has been spreading throughout Nepal's Christian community.

In response to the outcry, the Nepali government amended the ruling and will allow Christians in the government to take leave for the holiday - but the Christian community demands more.

"Christians do not just work for the government," Rev. CB Gahtraj, the secretary general of the National Federation of Christians stated. "If Christmas is not a national holiday, the workers of the private sector will not be able to celebrate it.

"The government recognises 83 festivities for Hindus and other communities, but none for Christians."

He claimed Nepali authorities were "influenced by anti-Christian tendencies." In fact, the Nepali government came under fire for religious persecution in October of last year, when a report claimed Christian missionaries were warned to leave.

Christianity was blamed for "corrupting the country," resulting in the bombing of two churches.

The CIA Factbook reported Christians as a minority in Nepal, falling at only 1.4 percent of the population.

Despite their minuscule numbers, Gahatraj reports believers refuse to back down in their pursuit to reinstate Christmas as a national holiday:

"We are ready to sacrifice ourselves for our faith and the protection of freedom of worship. We strongly demand the restoration of the festivity and that the recent decision be dropped within a week. If the government fails to meet our request, we will protest across the country."

---

'Help Give every Student and Teacher FREE resources for a world-class Moral Catholic Education'

Copyright 2021 - Distributed by Catholic Online