16:00, 25 December 2012

North-Ossetian Catholics celebrate Christmas

Last night, Catholics in North Ossetia welcomed the Christmas. The Pastoral Mass in Vladikavkaz was attended by about 40 people.

The Roman Catholic Church and most Protestant Churches celebrate Christmas on December 25, according to the modern Gregorian calendar. The Russian Orthodox Church, as well as some others ones, celebrates this feast on January 7, which corresponds to December 25 under the Julian calendar.

"We began the Pastoral Mass at 8:00 p.m.; it was attended by about forty people. I appealed through the press and invited all the Catholics to come; unfortunately, there was no response," Father Janusz Blaut, the abbot of the Vladikavkaz Roman Catholic parish of the Ascension of Jesus Christ, told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

The Catholic parish operates in Vladikavkaz since 1992. According to the priest, the amount of those involved in the service over the years has hardly changed.

"I learn about Catholics in the republic, when some of them dies – then, relatives start looking for a Catholic priest," said Father Janusz.

Author: Emma Marzoeva

Source: CK correspondent