Updates – Advent to Easter

The Three Kings have arrived

This year the Church has brought Epiphany forward a day so that we can celebrate on Sunday rather than wait until Monday. Maybe we can say that the Wise Men, or Three Kings, have now arrived in Bethlehem. Time to add those figures to the crib scene. So when is Twelfth Night? For some time […]

Leigh Hatts 2 weeks agoJanuary 4, 2025

Updates

Boxing Day is Stephen’s Day

Boxing Day, the second day of the Twelve Days Christmas, is St Stephen’s Day. Stephen is the first Christian martyr. There are celebrations this morning at St Stephen’s Gloucester Road London (11am), St Stephen on the Cliffs Blackpool (10.30am) and St Stephen’s Bournemouth (10.45am). St Stephen’s Church in Bournemouth is a miniature of of Truro […]

Leigh Hatts 4 weeks ago

Updates

Nine Lessons & Carols: It’s Christmas

Christmas begins in the gathering darkness just after 3pm on Christmas Eve when a chorister in King’s College Chapel in Cambridge sings the first verse of Once in Royal David’s City. This can be heard live on Radio 4. The service first took place at Truro Cathedral in 1880 and will do so there again […]

Leigh Hatts 4 weeks ago

Updates

Our Lady of the O

In Spain and other countries today is known as the Expectation of Mary to allow for a look back to the Annunciation nine months ago. On this day 18 December the Virgin Mary is often referred to as Mary of the O because this is the second day of the O Antiphons heard at evening […]

Leigh Hatts 1 month ago

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Holy Family on road to Bethlehem

Today we can start following the Christmas story in real time. By tradition the Holy Family, Joseph with pregnant Mary, are leaving Nazareth for Bethlehem. Every day until 23 December there is a special antiphon before and after the Magnificat at evening prayer or evensong. Listen online from Canterbury Cathedral at 5.30pm. This can also […]

Leigh Hatts 1 month ago

Updates

Does your church have pink vestments for this Sunday?

By ancient tradition vestments on the third Sunday of Advent can be pink instead of purple. The Sunday is also called Gaudete Sunday meaning Rejoice Sunday after the introit ‘Rejoice, indeed the Lord is near‘. Christmas is near. Pink is a landmark in Advent. Look at the Advent candle to see if the third one […]

Leigh Hatts 1 month ago

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St Lucy brings light

St Lucy’s Day on Thursday 13 December is a day of candles on one of the darkest days of the year. Indeed until the change of calendar it was the darkest, or shortest, day. Gloom descends in Sweden at lunchtime where Santa Lucia is a very big occasion. Early in the morning in homes and […]

Leigh Hatts 1 month ago

Updates

Loreto: Remembering The Annunciation

Pope Francis has made universal the 10 December local feast day called Our Lady of Loreto. If we are beginning to think in real time for Christmas then this feast is useful as we can look back nine months to March. This is when Mary heard from the angel that she was pregnant with the […]

Leigh Hatts 1 month agoDecember 10, 2024

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Advent 2 & the Conception

Sunday 8 December is the Second Sunday of Advent when in church we light another Advent candle on the wreath. But 8 December is usually the Immaculate Conception. As an Advent Sunday always takes precedence so this year the Conception will be observed on Monday 9 December. What are we are celebrating on Monday? It […]

Leigh Hatts 2 months ago

Updates

Father Christmas is St Nicholas

Santa Claus first appeared in New York’s Macy’s department store in 1862 and Father Christmas started his annual visits to Beales department store in Bournemouth in 1884. The two figures in red are the same person: St Nicholas. Friday 6 December is St Nicholas Day. He is the patron not only of children but also […]

Leigh Hatts 2 months agoDecember 6, 2024