YORK Minster's spectacular Advent Wreath has been suspended below the cathedral's central tower - with a little help from some school children.
Pupils from St Peter’s School, York, helped to raise the wreath at a special ceremony.
The children, aged between four and eight, helped head verger Alex Carberry to add four one-metre candles to the wreath before watching as Alex lifted the fifth and final candle into its central position on Friday.
A spokesperson for St Peter's said: "Some of the candles were taller than the children!
"The wreath was then hoisted into position below the Central Tower and the children were asked to shout ‘up, up, up’ as they watched it rise with great excitement."
The Advent Wreath is suspended below the Minster’s Central Tower each year to mark the beginning of the Christian festival of Advent and Christmas at the Minster.
The first candle was lit on Sunday, November 28 - the first Sunday of Advent - and then on three successive Sundays with the final candle being lit at the Christmas Day Eucharist service.
The wreath is assembled around a vast and heavy three metre wide, metal ring with built-in channels to hold the water required to keep the foliage fresh.
The structure also features five one metre high candle holders.
It takes the Minster’s team of volunteer flower arrangers almost two hours to transform the metal ring into a display of evergreen winter foliage.
This year’s display is mainly of ivy, donated from the gardens of internationally renowned flower arranger George Smith.
Head flower arranger, Mandy Barker, said dressing the Advent Wreath was one of the most important challenges of the year.
She said: “Between us, we’ve had plenty of practice assembling and installing the Advent Wreath and getting creative with the seasonal foliage that we can find. It is just wonderful to see it come together and to produce a display which is so important for the Minster’s Advent and Christmas celebrations.”
She added that decorating the wreath this year will also provide an important social occasion for the Minster’s flower arrangers.
Mandy said: “There are volunteers who come to help who have been coming along for the last 30 years. It is a really lovely occasion and we all take great pride and satisfaction in making a wonderful display.”
Canon Victoria Johnson, Precentor at the Minster, said: “After two difficult and challenging years, the raising of this wreath and the hope that it brings, is more poignant and wonderful than ever. The lighting of each candle brings us ever closer to the joy of the birth of the Christ child and the bringing of His light into the world.”
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