Celebrating Christmas with Simplicity
The Covid-19 pandemic has forced people to limit their activities, including when they celebrate Christmas.
The Covid-19 pandemic has forced people to limit their activities, including when they celebrate Christmas.
The residence of Fredriek Radja (25) in Kelapa Lima, Kupang, East Nusa Tenggara, is far from the hustle and bustle of Christmas like in previous years. The reason is clear: the Covid-19 outbreak has not subsided.
Fredriek, his parents and relatives will stay at home for Christmas. They will attend services online. The celebration will be carried out without visiting relatives and acquaintances.
Not without reason, they chose a simple way. Fredriek\'s grandparents are elderly. They are vulnerable if they are exposed to Covid-19.
"Just staying home because Covid-19 cases continue to increase. We will pray together and have a simple meal, ”said Fredriek when contacted on Wednesday (23/12/2020).
The congregation will attend service from home without losing its solemnity.
The Seventh-day Adventist Church in Kupang, where Fredriek and his family attend services, will hold a virtual service to prevent crowds and reduce the potential for Covid-19 transmission. The congregation will attend service from home without losing its solemnity.
Data from the Covid-19 Handling Task Force of East Nusa Tenggara province (NTT ) showed there were a total of 853 Covid-19 cases in Kupang city as of Wednesday. Of that number, 27 people had died, 496 patients were still being treated, and 330 people had recovered.
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Nationally, the task force recorded an additional 7,514 cases on Wednesday , bringing the total to 685,639 cases. The death toll increased by 151 people to 20,408 people.
Do not visit hometown
The high transmission of Covid-19 has resulted in the sharp increase of new cases. The number of patients has also increased. The occupancy rate in isolation rooms in Jakarta has reached 85 percent, while the intensive care unit (ICU) facilities occupied at 80 percent. The same situation is seen in other areas as the number of cases and patients continues to rise.
The pandemic has forced Mieke Slamet (67) and family in Cibubur, East Jakarta, to cancel their Christmas holidays in Klaten, Central Java.
Plans to visit Goa Maria Sumber Kahuripan, a place of worship in Sukabumi, West Java, may be also cancelled. Cancellations were made to protect families from the risk of being infected with Covid-19. They celebrate Christmas at home by praying and eating together. "We don’t go hometown in Klaten as usual. The plan to Sukabumi may also be canceled. It\'s better to stay at home than getting Covid-19, ”said Mieke. Mieke felt sad because she had already attended mass and services for 10 months. The church where Mieke and her family worship holds online services to reduce the risk of transmission by limiting the number of people who attend church. Only people aged 18-59 are allowed to attend the Eucharist in church. Mieke will not be able to receive sacramental bread or host because of the restriction.
There is a deep desire to receive the host. This is also felt by Mieke and other Catholics who could not go to church even though there is an online service.
However, concern and longing did not dampen Mieke and family’s Christmas mood. They will attend online mass and then eat together. "Just accept the situation. Hopefully it will stay healthy and the pandemic will pass quickly, "he said.
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A similar condition is experienced by Margaretha Masa (26), a resident of Kalimalang, East Jakarta. She will also not visit her hometown because the pandemic has not subsided. Margaretha is worried about contracting Covid-19.
The couple will make a pilgrimage to the family grave, join an online mass, and visit the house of her prospective in-laws.
She will instead celebrate the Christmas with her fiancé. The couple will make a pilgrimage to the family grave, join an online mass, and visit the house of her prospective in-laws.
“My parents grumbled and asked me to come home to talk about marriage. However, there is still a pandemic. I’m just taking one day off for Christmas to spend it with my fiancé in Galian (Bekasi, West Java), "said Margaretha.
Margaretha will take a leave on Christmas, Friday (25/12). After that, she will return to her routine as a midwife at a clinic in East Jakarta.
Sheepfold
Yohanes (28), a resident of Citeureup, Bogor, West Java, spent the days leading up to Christmas repairing a damaged ceiling. Yohanes and his small family, 63-year-old father and sister will enjoy the atmosphere and celebrate Christmas.
"Just staying a home during Christmas . We fear of the coronavirus. So just spending the days to repair parts of the house that are starting to break down," said Yohanes.
John will attend Christmas Mass at church, while his father will attend the Eucharist online because he is not allowed to his age. Her brother and family will attend an online mass because they were still traumatized after being socially abused after they contracted Covid-19 . His brother and family tested positive for Covid-19 recently, but they have recovered.
Celebrating Christmas in a simple and unpretentious way in line with the appeals of churches and the Religious Affairs Ministry. Face-to-face services must pay attention to strict health protocols, especially wearing masks, limiting the number of worshipers and maintaining distance.
Catholic clergyman, Antonius Benny Susetyo, said Christmas encouraged people to learn from Jesus Christ and to be a contemplative human being with the universe.
"Learning to see events (the Covid-19 pandemic) with eyes of faith, namely celebrating Christmas in a simple way . Christmas is celebrated in the sense of simplicity with the family, ”said Benny, a special staff member of the Steering Committee for the Pancasila Ideology Development Board.
According to Benny, Christmas is a momentum of togetherness and solidarity and the time to actualize the family values. The togetherness will become a glorious light when people obey health protocols.
"By faithfully adhering to the protocols in a disciplined manner, we can celebrate a true Christmas because we love life. Christmas means living with respect for life, ”said Benny.