Wreath Raising the C

hildren from St Peter’s 2-8 helped to raise York Minster’s spectacular Advent Wreath at a special ceremony in the Christmas term.

Both St Peter’s School and York Minster were founded by Paulinus of York on the same site in AD 627, and we are always seeking opportunities to celebrate our shared history.

This year, we were delighted to accept an invitation for children from St Peter’s 2-8 to visit the Minster to help raise the Advent Wreath on Friday 26 November. The Advent Wreath is suspended below the Minster’s Central Tower each year to mark the beginning of the Christian festival of Advent and Christmas at York Minster.

The wreath is assembled around a vast, heavy, 3m-wide, metal ring with built-in channels to hold the water to keep the foliage fresh. The structure also features five 1m-high candle holders. The children helped Head Verger Alex Carberry to add the final four candles before watching as Alex lifted the fifth candle into its central position. Some of the candles were taller than the children!

The wreath was then hoisted into position below the Central Tower and the children were asked to shout, ‘up, up, up’ as they watched it rise with great excitement. The first candle was lit on Sunday 28 November (the first Sunday of Advent) and then on three successive Sundays, with the final candle being lit at the Christmas Day Eucharist service.