Angels, shepherds, Romans, kings, advent windows, Christmas trees made entirely from plastic bottles, festive fairs, community Christmas tree festivals, concerts, crib services, children’s Advent trails, special services to remember loved ones …and free entry into Exeter Cathedral just for Christmas.
Church of England cathedrals are preparing for Christmas.
A star went up on Bradford Cathedral’s tower in readiness, the Advent banners were unfurled in Ripon Cathedral and across the country the start of the season was marked by Advent services, many lit by candlelight or preceded by a torchlit procession.
Wakefield, Gloucester and Worcester Cathedrals have all created Advent Calendars and will open a new window every day, there’s Handel’s Messiah at Chichester, St Edmundsbury, Salisbury and Truro cathedrals and a musical interpretation of Charles’ Dickens’ Scrooge at Liverpool.
They’re been collecting plastic bottles at Chester to create a tree made entirely from waste while
Sheffield Cathedral will be transformed inside and out by The Angels are Coming, a unique sound and light experience created by Luxmuralis who have also created Cathedral Illuminated 2019: The Beginning, for Lichfield.
There’s carols on the hour in St Albans on Saturday 21 December before its Big Community Nativity on Christmas Eve, featuring everyone from market traders, a local innkeeper (pub landlord) campaigning to Save Bethlehem’s Pubs as well as Roman soldiers and the Holy family.
There’s a festive silent disco in Peterborough and carols after work at Leicester Cathedral which is also focussing on “Entertaining Angels’ as its Advent theme this year. And, Newcastle Cathedral, the Cathedral Church of St Nicholas will lead a lantern lit walking nativity from Newcastle Central Station to the Cathedral following Mary and Joseph on their journey through the city followed by a free half-hour concert by Newcastle’s rock choir.
While Exeter Cathedral has suspended its standard charging policy offering free entry into the cathedral from November 16 until 5 January as its Christmas present to the county of Devon and beyond.
