One of the most popular services of the year has taken place at Durham Cathedral with the lighting of the Christmas tree and the blessing of a very North East Nativity scene.
The service started with carols performed by the cathedral choir around the tree, which is Norwegian Spruce over 25ft high.
This year the tree was lit all the way from the Holy Land in the Middle East.
The Very Revd Canon Richard Sewell, Dean of St George’s College Jerusalem and Canon at the Anglican Cathedral, sent a video message from Jerusalem asking for prayers for peace in that deeply troubled part of our world as conflict continues in Israel, Gaza and the surrounding area.
He pressed a button and thousands of lights sparkled on Durham’s Christmas tree, the Cathedral Choir sang and all joined together in some favourite Christmas carols.
The Dean of Durham, the Very Revd Dr Philip Plyming, said: "At Christmas we celebrate the joy of God coming into our world as a human being in the person of Jesus Christ – bringing light into darkness and hope amidst despair.
"I am delighted that Richard Sewell, who many of us in Durham know well, joined us virtually and helped us pray for peace in the Holy Land and throughout the world."
The service ended at the West End of the cathedral where the Crib is set up depicting the Nativity with figures carved by Michael Doyle, a retired miner from Houghton-le-Spring.
The figures make reference to the mining industry; the donkey is a pit pony with all its harness and trappings, the crib is a ‘choppie box’ in which the ponies were given their feed underground and the innkeeper is dressed as a miner carrying a lamp with a whippet at his side.
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Marie-Thérèse Mayne, the exhibitions' officer at Durham Cathedral, said: “The crib scene is pretty special and has got some wonderful links to the region.
“The Nativity set has some very unusual figures in it which are very Durham specific.
“These are scenes that were taken directly from Michael Doyle’s experience as a miner and really relates to the experience of a lot of our visitors from our local region.
“It lends it a wonderful sense that this is our crib set.”
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