<p>Hundreds thronged churches across the national capital for Christmas festivities on Sunday after two years of muted celebrations in the shadow of the Covid pandemic with people seeking to find a balance between rituals and precautions. </p>.<p>Colourful lights, Christmas trees, buntings and balloons decked up street corners, markets and public areas as people from all religions and cultures celebrated the festival with food and music. </p>.<p>Christmas this year comes amid a low number of Covid cases. However, church-goers exercised caution considering the surge in infections in some countries.</p>.<p><strong>Also Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/north-and-central/agra-man-who-returned-from-china-tests-positive-for-covid-19-claims-chief-medical-officer-1174973.html" target="_blank">Agra man who returned from China tests positive for Covid-19, claims Chief Medical Officer</a></strong></p>.<p>Most churches urged the people to wear masks and follow Covid-appropriate behaviour.</p>.<p>"It (crowd) was double the number we witnessed last year. There are no harsher curbs like the previous two years. So, the number has obviously gone up," a spokesperson of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Delhi said.</p>.<p>"However, we urged people to wear masks and maintain social distance considering cases are rising in some countries," he said. </p>.<p><strong>Also Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/north-and-central/muslims-join-christmas-celebrations-in-srinagar-1174948.html" target="_blank">Muslims join Christmas celebrations in Srinagar</a></strong></p>.<p>An administration official at the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Delhi said though people turned out in big numbers this time, most of them observed Covid-appripriate behaviour.</p>.<p>The pandemic had put a halt to big congregations with most churches hosting socially distanced celebrations for two years.</p>.<p>In 2020, churches in Delhi held multiple masses on December 24-25, where a limited number of people were admitted through online registration to ensure social distancing. </p>.<p>Though there were no restrictions on the number of visitors last year, fewer people reached churches amid concern over the Omicron variant of the coronavirus.</p>
<p>Hundreds thronged churches across the national capital for Christmas festivities on Sunday after two years of muted celebrations in the shadow of the Covid pandemic with people seeking to find a balance between rituals and precautions. </p>.<p>Colourful lights, Christmas trees, buntings and balloons decked up street corners, markets and public areas as people from all religions and cultures celebrated the festival with food and music. </p>.<p>Christmas this year comes amid a low number of Covid cases. However, church-goers exercised caution considering the surge in infections in some countries.</p>.<p><strong>Also Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/north-and-central/agra-man-who-returned-from-china-tests-positive-for-covid-19-claims-chief-medical-officer-1174973.html" target="_blank">Agra man who returned from China tests positive for Covid-19, claims Chief Medical Officer</a></strong></p>.<p>Most churches urged the people to wear masks and follow Covid-appropriate behaviour.</p>.<p>"It (crowd) was double the number we witnessed last year. There are no harsher curbs like the previous two years. So, the number has obviously gone up," a spokesperson of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Delhi said.</p>.<p>"However, we urged people to wear masks and maintain social distance considering cases are rising in some countries," he said. </p>.<p><strong>Also Read | <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/national/north-and-central/muslims-join-christmas-celebrations-in-srinagar-1174948.html" target="_blank">Muslims join Christmas celebrations in Srinagar</a></strong></p>.<p>An administration official at the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Delhi said though people turned out in big numbers this time, most of them observed Covid-appripriate behaviour.</p>.<p>The pandemic had put a halt to big congregations with most churches hosting socially distanced celebrations for two years.</p>.<p>In 2020, churches in Delhi held multiple masses on December 24-25, where a limited number of people were admitted through online registration to ensure social distancing. </p>.<p>Though there were no restrictions on the number of visitors last year, fewer people reached churches amid concern over the Omicron variant of the coronavirus.</p>