Christmas celebrations were organized at the Embassy of Sri Lanka in Cairo, Egypt on the 24th and the 25th December 2019 in collaboration with the Sri Lankan Community living in Egypt.
At the commencement of the programme on the 24th of December, Ambassador Damayanthie Rajapakse extended her warm greetings to the guests on the joyous occasion by highlighting the significance of Christmas.
With the sponsorship of the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment, the Embassy of Sri Lanka invited Reverend Father Jude Amila Fernando to Egypt, in order to conduct the religious services to the Sri Lankan Community living in Egypt. Therefore the Christmas programme consisted of a series of Christmas rituals in which the Sri Lankans living in Egypt were given the opportunity to make their Confessions to the Priest, to attend the Mass and the Holy Communion conducted by the Reverend Priest. The Staff of the Mission joined the Sri Lankan Community in reciting Christmas Carols, and the entertainment provided by the Santa Clause completed the picture of an action packed Christmas Eve, organized at the Embassy Premises.
The Christmas ceremony was conducted with the twin objectives of facilitating the Sri Lankan Community to follow sacred religious rituals and at the same time to rejoice and celebrate Christmas with their families and friends.
The programme on the 25th of December included a Healing Service rendered by the Reverend Father Jude Amila Fernando.
The events held at the Embassy premises were attended by a large number of Sri Lankans from Catholic, Christian and other communities as well. It was made colourful and vibrant, resembling the Christmas ambiance while the Sri Lankans partook in sumptuous meals and refreshments arranged by the Sri Lankan Community living in Egypt.