On Sunday 15 December, the Cathedral's huge Christmas tree was illuminated by Jackie McCowliff. Jackie, who has strong ties to the North East mining communities is a former miner, a lodge delegate to Redhills Durham, and later became a Durham Miners' Association executive, he was assisted by Sally Lockey, aged 16, from the Durham Miners Association Band.
During the special Lighting of the Tree and Blessing of the Crib service, Jackie McCowliff carried a miner's safety lamp and hung it on the Norwegian Spruce Christmas tree, illuminating the hundreds of lights on the 17ft Norwegian Spruce tree.
Images from the service
Each year, Durham Cathedral invites special members of the community to light its tree. The tradition continued this year, marking the 40th anniversary of the Miners’ Strike and the long-shared association with the mining heritage of the region.
In another highlight of the service, the Dean of Durham blessed the crib with holy water at the font, as Durham Cathedral Choir sang festive carols, with 'O Little Town of Bethlehem' the chosen carol to start the festivities. An impressive programme of music followed, with the Choir and Young Singers treating the congregation to 'In the Bleak Midwinter' and 'Hark the Heralds Angels Sing!'
There was also the opportunity to leave an unwrapped gift under the Christmas tree, which will be donated to the Salvation Army
Quote from The Reverend Canon Michael Hampel, Precentor at Durham Cathedral says,
"The great Christmas Tree at Durham Cathedral shines like a beacon of hope amidst the solemn stone of this special place. In a year when we recall the Miners’ Strike of 40 years ago, we remember too the hurt of the past and the need to believe that the light of hope comes into our lives even at the darkest times."
The Reverend Canon Michael Hampel, Precentor at Durham Cathedral says,
The Reverend Canon Michael Hampel, Precentor at Durham Cathedral continued,
"We’re delighted that young and old from our mining heritage come together to light our tree and mirror the figure of a miner standing in Michael Doyle’s famous crib scene in which the baby Jesus lies not in a manger but in a ‘choppie box’, the trough used to feed the ponies underground in the mines. This is the Jesus whose message of the love of God brings light into our world today and every day."
Durham Cathedral and the local mining communities have strong links dating back to the 1800s and during the autumn Durham Cathedral collaborated with the Durham Mining Communities Banner Groups Association and Redhills, Durham, to mark the 40th anniversary of the Miners' Strike, with an exhibition called, Solidarity Forever: Banners of the Durham Mining Community. The powerful display celebrated the resilience and heritage of County Durham’s mining communities in which 40 huge miners’ banners, each telling a unique story of struggle, solidarity, and survival were displayed inside the cathedral.
A big thank you to Wards Bros who generously donated the Norwegian Spruce Christmas tree and to Tyne and Wear Access who provided a cherry picker to help with the installation of the huge tree.
