Pomp and gaiety marked Christmas celebrations across Telangana and Andhra Pradesh Thursday.

Special prayers in churches since midnight, carols, bursting of fire crackers were the highlights of celebrations in the twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad and other towns of Telangana and neighbouring Andhra Pradesh.

This was first Christmas after Telangana state was carved out of Andhra Pradesh

Christians in both the states celebrated the festival with religious fervour and gaiety with congregations and special prayers in churches since the early hour of the day.

The festivities began with midnight mass at many churches in Secunderabad, which has a sizeable population of Christians.

A major congregation was held at 200-year-old St John's Church in Secunderabad. Hundreds of Christians also attended St Mary's Church, All Saint's Church, Wesley Church, Holy Trinity Church and Millennium Methodist Church. The priests prayed for peace and highlighted the message of Jesus' birth.

The Anglo-Indian community in Lalaguda in Secunderabad celebrated Christmas with enthusiasm and in a traditional manner.

The three-day celebrations also began at the historic Church of South India (CSI) at Medak, about 100 km from here.

Reverend M. Pramodrao from New Zealand addressed the gathering, highlighting the message of peace of Jesus Christ.

The celebrations were also held Khammam, Adilabad and other towns in Telangana. In Andhra Pradesh, the celebrations were held in Visakhapatnam, Vijayawada, Ongole, Kadapa, Bheemavaram and other towns.

YSR Congress party chief Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy his family members joined in the prayers at CSI church at Pulivendula town in Kadapa district.

Chief Minister of Telangana K. Chandrasekhar Rao, his Andhra Pradesh counterpart N. Chandrababu Naidu, Governor of the two states E.S.L. Narasimhan and leaders of various political parties greeted people on the occasion of Christmas.