DURHAM Cathedral is preparing for one of its most popular annual services, the lighting of its Christmas tree and blessing of the crib.
Popular with families and worshippers alike, the ritual will see the switch on of festive decorations on a large Norwegian spruce tree, followed by a procession to the west end of the cathedral where the crib will be blessed.
Cathedral works yard manager, Iain Wilmshurst, said: “Our tree is very kindly donated to us by Ward Brothers, of Langley Moor.
“As its 20ft tall, it is no mean feat to get it decorated and into place.
“It takes a team of around 12 of us to pull the tree in from outside and, then, it’s very heavy work to hoist it into place using a pulley from the upper levels of the cathedral.
“Our teams then work on the tree for about three days, stringing the 2,000 lights around it and getting it into place and secure.”
The honour of performing the honours and lighting the tree has this year is to be undertaken by seven-year-old Lily Grace Ballentine, from Newton, Hall, Durham, whose grandmother, was recently confirmed at the cathedral.
Sunday's (December 14) tree lighting and crib blessing ceremony begins at 4.30pm.
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