The Moderator of the Church of South India has urged his churches to cancel Christmas festivals this year in the wake of severe flooding along the Coromandel Coast

The Moderator of the Church of South India has urged his churches to cancel Christmas festivals this year in the wake of severe flooding along the Coromandel Coast that has driven 1.8 million people from their homes and left 450 people dead. Heavy monsoon rains over the past month have left much of Chennai (Madras) under water, with 20 inches of rain falling on the city in one day (1 Dec 2015). In a letter dated 8 Dec 2015, the Most Rev. G. Dyvasirvadam, moderator of the CSI and bishop in charge in Madras, stated that in light of the mass suffering caused by the rains it was “appropriate to cancel all exuberant celebration and focus on life affirming activities” to assist the poor. He asked all clergy to donate one day’s salary towards relief work and asked that “carol services, carol rounds” and Christmas pageants be canceled.