NEW DELHI, Dec. 25 (Xinhua) -- Christmas was celebrated among Catholics and Christians in India Friday and Thursday evening, according to local TV and press reports.

    In the southern state of Tamil Nadu where there is a large Catholic and Christian community among the dominant Hindu population, people gathered at the churches to mark and greeted each other in singing and prayers.

    Thousands from all over the country also visited the famous pilgrim town of Vailankanni in Nagapattinam district in Eastern Tamil Nadu, where Saint Thomas was said to have established India's first Christian Church.

    In another southern state of Kerala, a large number of people turned up for midnight mass on Thursday evening in churches of major congregations across the state, including the three Catholicrites-- Syro Malabar, Syro Malankara and Latin hierarchies, said the semi-official Pres Trust of India.

    Senior prelates led the special services at the diocesan headquarters, giving out the message of love, hope and peace, said the report.

    In the northeast state of Nagaland, people celebrated the largest festival in this Christian-dominated hill state, by attending the midnight mass and thronging the churches of different denominations in their best attire to attend the morning services Friday.

    In the northern state of Bihar, Governor D. Konwar and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar offered warm and best wishes to the people for the Christmas, calling Christmas as an example of India's "unity in diversity".

    In Mumbai and Kolkata, where a large number of slum dwellers are Catholics, cheerful celebration were held Thursday night and Friday in slums to mark the occasion.