Goa: Amid pandemic, midnight mass, carols usher in Christmas

"People came out in large numbers to attend the midnight mass. However, only 200 people were allowed to attend the mass in each church and the attendees had to maintain physical distance, wear masks, and sanitize their hands," a priest attached to Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception Church in Panaji said on Friday.

The festival will continue till the New Year.

The crowd size for the masses during the day will be decided by the priest in each church.

At some places, special pandals were set up outside the churches to accommodate those people who could not attend the mass inside.

A police official said, "No untoward incident was reported during the festival. But police have increased their vigil in view of the crowd."

Apart from the churches and chapels, people also thronged the beaches across the state at midnight.

Markets in the state were seen packed with items used to decorate cribs, depicting the birth of Lord Jesus.

Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant wished the people on the occasion through a tweet.