Just under 300 people gathered on Saturday 10 December in Rochester Cathedral to celebrate the annual Christingle Service held in partnership with The Children’s Society.
Christingles are oranges wrapped in red tape, decorated with dried fruit or sweets, with a candle on the top. Each element of the Christingle has a special meaning and helps to tell the Christian story.
- The orange represents the world
- The red ribbon (or tape) symbolises the love and blood of Christ
- The sweets and dried fruit represent all of God’s creations
- The lit candle represents Jesus’s light in the world, bringing hope to people living in darkness.
Organised by the Diocese's Children and Young People Team, the service was supported by volunteers and staff from the cathedral and was led by the Rev Canon Gordon Giles.
In his address, Canon Giles informed the congregation that the first people to celebrate Christmas morning as the sun rises are people in Chatham…the Chatham Islands in New Zealand! However, they are so small they are often left off the map.
But, as we are reminded by the elements of a Christingle, no matter where we are in the world or how small we feel, the love and light of Jesus is there for everybody at Christmas time.
The Christingle Service held in Rochester is just one of many held each year across the Diocese and across the country in support of The Children’s Society, a charity that works to support young people through some of their most serious life challenges.
Liz Walker, Executive Director at The Children's Society said:
‘It was a pleasure to see a packed Cathedral for the Christingle service and the children’s choir was amazing.
On behalf of the Children’s Society, thank you for all your donations and prayers. They really make a difference to the work we do with young people."