Christians across the country yesterday celebrated the birth of their saviour Jesus Christ, with merrymaking that saw feasting, drinking as well as sharing with the needy.

However, most Christians opted to start the day with a prayer at Church.

In their sermons yesterday, clergies challenged their congregations to stick to the sense of redemption that started with Jesus’ birth. 

At Saint Etienne Cathedral in Biryogo, Nyarugenge District, the church was well decorated, with a red carpet, courtesy of a member of the congregation who was born on Christmas Day.

Bishop Louis Muvunyi of Kigali Diocese called upon the assembly not to take for granted God’s compassion, "envisaged in the sacrificing of His only begotten son, so that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

"On Christmas Day, you exchange season’s greetings, e-mails or short messages on phone, but God gave us a wonderful gift; Jesus who saved us from the yoke of slavery,” Bishop Muvunyi said.

Apostle Yoshua Ndagijimana Masasu, the head of Restoration Church, took the assembly at Remera church into the redemption process, where Jesus endured to live in poverty as a way of bringing mankind closer to God.

In the Rwandan context, he said, Jesus identifies with many. 

"He was born poor, like many of us here were, He was hunted to be killed, and He has been a refugee like many Rwandans,” Ndagijimana said.

Through Jesus, preached Apostle Paul Gitwaza of Zion Temple in Kicukiro, the weaker were made strong.

Miracle among mankind

At St Michael’s Cathedral, the English service was presided over by Father Andrew Baributsa, who also baptised three babies.

Christians have different understanding of the day, but the common denominator, it’s "a day we celebrate love of God to humanity”.

Salomon Fils, a Roman Catholic believer said "we celebrate the fact that Jesus came among us (mankind) and performed miracles.”

Fils believes that, it’s Jesus who helped him to succeed at school and healed him of a serious sickness.

Clementine Ingabire has been a member of Zion Temple for the last six months and was only baptised yesterday.

She said, "Christianity is life while baptism means dying and rising with Christ.”

Besides Easter, Christmas, is the world’s most celebrated day amongst Christian dominated countries.

Christmas and Boxing days are an official holiday.