Open House draws visitors of all races and religions

Jan 09, 2020

KUCHING: Christmas, like many other cultural festivals celebrated in Sarawak, unites people across all faiths and walks of life as they come together to celebrate and share the great joy of the festive season.

The Archbishop of Kuching, Most Rev Simon Poh, greeted and welcomed the crowd to the Roman Catholic Church’s Christmas Open House at the Archdiocesan Curia and Cathedral Pastoral Centre (ACCPC) on December 25.

Deputy Chief Minister Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas, Minister of Tourism, Arts, Culture, Youth and Sports Datuk Abdul Karim Rahman Hamzah and state Legal Counsel Datuk Seri JC Fong were among the distinguished guests that came to visit and extend greetings and best wishes.

Archbishop Poh emphasised that this festive celebration meant continuing the tradition of open house, which is something truly unique and special to Sarawak and Malaysia.

“Christmas is here and we open our house to our friends from all faiths. This open house welcomes everyone. We have Hindu, Buddhist, Baha’i, and Muslim friends here with us this morning, as well as from other religions who come to join me in celebrating this festivity.

“We will visit them during their festivals. We share with them and they share with us.  This is where we build friendship and get to know each other,” he said.

Archbishop Poh pointed out that this open house culture and tradition, which Sarawakians have long observed, can be presented to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) for inscription in recognition as an intangible cultural heritage.

“There is something truly unique with us Sarawakians.”

He reminded those present that the good tidings of Christmas was what the angels had  proclaimed — peace and goodwill from God to mankind.

“We have many friends who desire to do good for society and all humanity and that is precisely what we are celebrating here. This is how we build our Kuching community, Sarawak in general, and the whole of Malaysia, to create a society that focuses on the common good of everyone.

”I want to wish everyone a very blessed Christmas filled with love, joy and peace. We also pray for 2020 to be a year of blessing for everyone,” he added. -- DayakDaily