York Minster to reopen for Advent and Christmas as largest wreath raised
One of the largest Advent wreaths in the country has been raised at York Minster as a sign of hope as the cathedral prepares to mark the start of Advent this Sunday.
The Archbishop of York, The Most Reverend Stephen Cottrell, was at the Minster to see the 4m wide wreath lifted into place, for the start of what will be his first Advent and Christmas in the role of Archbishop.
The wreath will be suspended in its traditional place below the Central Tower for the first time since 2017, as scaffolding surrounding the Grand Organ as part of its once-a-century refurbishment has prevented it from being lifted into place for the last two years.
The wreath, which has been made by the cathedral's volunteer flower arrangers using ivy and holly sourced mainly from the Minster's gardens, will hold five candles which are gradually lit each Sunday during Advent in the countdown to Christmas Day.
Meanwhile, it has been announced that York Minster will reopen for public worship on Wednesday 2nd December and for sightseeing visits on Thursday 3rd December.
York is a Tier 2 location which allows the Minster to reopen for worship and for paying visitors - with appropriate measures in place for social distancing and controlling the spread of the infection. The Revd Canon Vicky Johnson, Precentor at York Minster said:
Revd Vicky explained that the impact of the pandemic will result in a very different Advent and Christmas at York Minster.
She said: “The ongoing need to control the virus means that capacity at services will be severely limited. Attendance at key services on Sundays and in Christmas Week will only be possible via our pre-booked online reservation system. “However, digital worship has flourished at York Minster this year so all of our Advent and Christmas services and events, will be available digitally via livestream and on platforms such as YouTube and Facebook. So everyone will still be able to experience and enjoy Advent and Christmas at York Minster wherever they are.”
In line with Government and Church of England guidance, York Minster has implemented a range of measures to help keep visitors and staff safe.
These include:
Compulsory wearing of masks inside the Minster
Limiting the number of people allowed inside
Reduced seating
A one-way system to allow people to physically distance from one another
Hand sanitizer points
Additional cleaning measures
Staff and clergy wearing face masks and visors
Worshippers attending public services will also be asked to leave their name and contact details to assist with the NHS Test and Trace programme