wfn.org | ACNS: Christmas is coming: Saint Nicholas to visit Canterbury

[Worldwide Faith News <wfn@igc.org>]

December 7th

ACNS 3031 - ENGLAND - 18 June 2002

Christmas is coming:
Saint Nicholas to visit Canterbury December 7th

[St Nicholas Society, Kent] The second annual Canterbury St Nicholas
Festival is expected to draw crowds from all over.

The local planning committee, chaired by Mrs Jane Maple of Blean, has
announced the official arrival date of St Nicholas, the real Santa Claus and
Father Christmas, for Saturday 7 December.

The festival, being supported by civic and religious organisations, will run
the entire day. Included will be an extended parade from St Augustine's
Abbey to the Buttermarket and then the grand entrance to the Cathedral
precincts.

Children will be given gifts at the Cathedral Shop as they visit St Nick.

In the evening a special concert will be held, led by David Flood and
Matthew Martin of the Cathedral. The Advent Christmas theme will be seen
through the music of Benjamin Britten with his "Ceremony of Carols" and the
rarely heard cantata "St Nicolas".

This year's charities are St Nicholas School in Canterbury and an Anglican
Communion project in Uganda, both with children in mind.

Founder of the St Nicholas Society, Lay Canon Jim Rosenthal said, "Children
are at the heart of these celebrations. St Nicholas is their patron saint.
The Bishop of Dover has endorsed the festival as well.

The Dean of Canterbury and all the Cathedral Staff have been fully
supportive of the festival. Canterbury City Partnership have once again been
supportive of the festival and have promised extra support for 2002.

Speaking from Canterbury, the Very Revd Robert Willis, Dean of the Mother
Church of the Anglican Communion, the Cathedral Church of Christ,
Canterbury, said, "It will be a great pleasure to welcome many people to the
Cathedral, once again, for the St Nicholas celebration. I hope that this
will become part of our regular tradition here in the Canterbury community.
As Dean I want to invite and encourage one and all to join in the festival
and truly to feel at home in the Cathedral. It is a very appropriate
preparation for Christmas and the tradition of St Nicholas can assist us in
our celebration."

It is expected the choristers will greet the beloved saint with their
singing and the Cathedral Shop will offer a haven for those children wanting
to visit the one and only "true" Santa Claus. Mark your calendars.

PHOTOS AVAILABLE

For further information on the St Nicholas Society write for our brochures:

J M ROSENTHAL
1 OLD PALACE, CANTERBURY, KENT, CT1 2EE, UK

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