Members of the Crusaders of the Divine Church of Christ (CDCC) in the United Arab Emirates celebrated Christmas on Sept. 25, joining participants around the world under the theme “Setyembre 25: Paskong Totoo ng Nagkakaisang Crusado.”
The event brought together members from Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, and Ras Al Khaimah for a week of community activities and reflection, while also honoring the birthday of the church’s founder and Supreme Pontiff, Mons. Dr. Rufino S. Magliba.
The Dubai chapter opened the festivities with a pre-Christmas gathering, which included a symbolic flower offering, a high mass, and the traditional pagmamano, a gesture of respect and gratitude.
After the formal observances, members participated in choral presentations, an exchange gift activity, and friendly contests such as altar design, poem and song writing, and parol-making. Each activity highlighted the creativity and collaborative spirit of participants.
True essence of Christmas
From Sept. 17 to 24, members participated in nightly gatherings and reflective sessions in preparation for the main celebration. The week culminated with a Noche Buena gathering on Sept. 24 and a Thanksgiving celebration on Sept. 25, featuring a symbolic cake offering and musical performances in honor of Mons. Magliba.
During the event, the UAE supervising clergy shared a message encouraging members to embrace the values of the season through kindness, selflessness, reflection, unity, and patience in daily life.
The Crusaders Dubai Chapter Care (Alay Pag-ibig) program also brought members together to share gifts and tokens of love, reinforcing the community’s commitment to generosity.
The celebration showed that distance does not diminish the joy of togetherness. Many participants live far from their families in the Philippines, but within the CDCC community, members experienced the warmth of a supportive network.
