Thousands gather at Christian Rally in Nepal

To unify the Christians and to promote Christianity, Churches and Christian organizations in Nepal, neighboring India, held a massive rally, attended by over 25,000 native Christians, last week.

The organizers of the event announced, it was the mutual effort by the local Churches to promote Christianity in the Himalayan nation, where Christians have long been oppressed and persecuted.

People were seen holding banners heralding "the resurrection of Jesus Christ" during the down town celebration, which also included singing and dancing. Two key pastors preached during the gathering, according to the Bosnewslife News Agency.

Churches said the event was one of the most powerful and historic, manifesting the fruit of love and toil by the early missionaries.

"Amid the turmoil in Nepal, churches in the country have grown exponentially with Christians in Nepal swelling to over 700,000, despite a lack of education, scarcity of roads, and limited means of communication," noted Bosnewslife.

The translation of Bible by the Serampore Mission Group (SMG), in the year 1821, played a vital role in the expansion and growth of Christianity in the country. SMG was started by the English Protestant missionary, William Carey, one of the founders of the Baptist Missionary Society and one of the greatest missionary to India, whose numerous contributions are still evident and praised.

Just like in India, there has been fierce persecution by Maoist insurgents and Hindu radicals, from the start of Christianity in the country. Churches have been burnt, Christians attacked, and Missionary schools been vandalized, even now.

Before 1960, Nepal had officially banned Christians from living inside the country. But reformers changed the legal code.

The first Christian group began in 1959 with 29 members. During the next five decades, Christianity grew by 10 to 20 percent annually, especially among Dalits at the bottom of Hindu society, making Nepal one of Asia's most stunning church growth stories.

Protestants in Nepal are a small religious minority, accounting for only .45% of the population.

Nepal is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the north, and India to the south, east and west.