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The third iteration of Indian Christian Day is celebrating the person and message of Jesus Christ, on July 3, 2024. This somewhat new holiday was established in 2021 as a grassroots movement among the Indian Christian faithful, but it welcomes all people who wish to celebrate Jesus Christ, regardless of race or creed.
Prior to 2021, the day was known as St. Thomas’ Day, which commemorated the 72 AD martyrdom of the Apostle at what is now known as St. Thomas’ Mount, near the city of Chennai.
When the day was initiated, the declaration noted that the celebration would be held every year henceforth, on the 3rd day of July.
The initial 2021 celebration, which was held virtually during the pandemic, also marked the beginning of the Decade of Celebration (2021-2030) to honor 2,000 years of the earthly ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ. The declaration went on to note the teaching and life principles of Jesus Christ have “helped to shape and transform India and the world.”
According to the movement’s official website, it exists to encourage individuals and groups, in India and around the world, to take the initiative and organize celebrations of Christ. As a grassroots movement, there is no central organizing body, which means that celebrations can be as various and diverse as the people who run them. The website reads: “Duplication is good. Multiplicity is good. Variety is even better.”
While there is no central body, the website does provide some guidelines on how to organize local groups to celebrate Indian Christian Day. The movement encourages those who take on the role of ambassadors of the movement to organize their events with “love and kindness.” Furthermore, they suggest adding some cultural flair to the celebration:
“Songs and dances with Indian music and other cultural programs highlighting the rich Indian culture, can be arranged as part of the annual celebration.” The guidelines add, “Videos and photos of local celebrations can be directly shared online for the global audience to view.”
Learn more about Indian Christian Day and how to organize your own celebration at the movement’s official website.
