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Advent not Christmas starts now

Christmas Trees have been going up during the last two weeks but it’s not Christmas yet. That is more than three weeks away. First there is Advent which starts this weekend. Time to hang up the Advent calendar and light the first Advent candle on Sunday. Christmas trees can go up a little later. A […]

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Stir Up Sunday – or Christ The King

An opinion poll reveals that 77% of the population has not heard of Stir Up Sunday. It’s next Sunday 24 November and always falls on the Sunday before Advent Sunday. The name comes from the old Sarum Rite prayer for the day which was translated in 1549 for the Book of Common Prayer: Stir up, […]

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It’s Advent in Milan

It’s two weeks to go before Advent starts unless you are in Milanese Diocese. Milan follows the Ambrosian Rite and there Advent always begins on the first Sunday after St Martin’s Day. So this Sunday 17 November is Advent Sunday in Milan Cathedral. There will be six Sundays of Advent unlike our four. This reflects […]

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Burial of sardine marks Ash Wednesday

This evening in Spain many places will see a farewell to carnival known as the Burial of the Sardine. In Madrid, where the custom was recorded by Goya, the procession with bands sets out from the Church of San Antonio de la Florida. The artist is buried there below his frescoes. Most of the nationwide […]

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Shrove Tuesday: cakes & ale plus pancakes

This morning the Stationers’ Company walked in procession in light rain to St Paul’s Cathedral for its annual service. On return to the livery hall the members and guests were due to enjoy a buffet lunch known as ‘cakes and ale’. The annual Shrove Tuesday event dates from 1612 but until recently was held on […]

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Two books for Lent

Lent starts in early March. The first day of the month is Shrove Tuesday and you can read about all the traditional pre-Lent fun as well why we eat pancakes in Keeping Lent & Easter. The book guides you through the forty days of Lent to Easter. After Mothering Sunday, Lent’s halfway point at the […]

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Candlemas: At the end of Christmas

On Wednesday 2 February we say that, forty days after the birth of Christ, the Holy Family is leaving Bethlehem. A month in the stable is enough. It’s back to Nazareth, or maybe on to Egypt, by way the Temple. This is where we are for today’s main reading from St Luke’s Gospel as we […]

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The 12 Days of Christmas

Boxing Day this year is Holy Family Sunday unless you are at a church dedicated to St Stephen where it is patronal festival day as usual. Monday is St John’s Day. Holy Innocents on Tuesday is when we can think (out of sequence) about Herod’s reaction to the Three Kings arriving at the climax of […]

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Christmas Eve

At last it is nearly Christmas. At dusk tonight we can say Christmas has arrived. Mary and Joseph have arrived in Bethlehem. There will be the carols from King’s College Cambridge on Radio 4 from just after 3pm and cathedrals will have the first Evensong of Christmas. Thanks to Covid it is now possible to […]

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Advent Prose

In many churches the ancient Advent Prose , Drop down, ye heavens, from above,/ and let the skies pour down righteousness, is sung between the first readings during Advent. The words are from Isaiah: Pour down, O heavens, from above, and let the skies rain down righteousness. Turn your fierce anger from us, O Lord, […]

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3d book display image of Keeping Advent & Christmas

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