A YORK church was ablaze with colour this weekend as it showed the seven sacraments in a new light.

Floristry students from Askham Byran College filled All Saints Church in North Street with a rainbow kaleidoscope of shapes and forms for a four-day flower festival.

They spent three days in the church setting up the displays as well as many hours beforehand designing and preparing for the floral extravaganza.

It is the latest in a series of community events linked to the refurbishment of the church’s stained glass windows which was made possible by a grant from the National Lottery.

“They’re wonderful.  The comments we have had back are amazing,” said parochial church committee member David Titchener of the displays. He liaises between the church and the National Lottery.

By the end of the festival, hundreds of people had seen the display.

Afterwards the flowers will be donated anonymously to people in several different parts of Yorkshire including York.

The students were asked to base their displays on the seven sacraments of the Christian Church – baptism, confession, communion, confirmation, ordination, marriage and the anointing of the sick.

They turned the central part of the church into a wedding display complete with dressmaking models standing in for the bride and groom, had four priestly displays in the four liturgical colours – white, green, red and purple – and adorned the font, the confessional and other parts of the church.

One student, studying for the top floral professional qualification, produced a three-metre high self-standing display at the back of the church.

Ecological designs featured in many of the displays with a minimal use of floral foam.  Piping hidden inside the displays kept the flowers watered from vases and water reservoirs.

It is the second year in succession students from the college have prepared floral displays for the church.  Last year, the displays reflected the newly restored windows.

Floristry course manager Sue Lee said when the displays are dismantled, the flowers that have not wilted will be put in small bouquets and placed on benches and other places with a label attached giving the names of the college and church saying: “I’m a lonely bouquet” and urging anyone who finds them to take them home.

Students will take the bouquets to their home areas and place them on benches and elsewhere in public spaces to be picked up by anyone who wants some flowers.

Sue said work on the festival provided an important element to the students' courses as it enabled them to work in an environment outside the classrom.

The festival was opened by the Lord Mayor and retired priest Cllr Chris Cullwick.