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Longest Night Service at St Edmundsbury Cathedral...

St Edmundsbury Cathedral’s annual Longest Night service will take place on Sunday 19th December at 5.00 pm. This service is a quiet one of refuge, comfort and hope for all facing a difficult Christmas.

Revd Sarah Geileskey, Cathedral Curate, has been involved in organising the Longest Night service for the past 4 years. She reflects that, ‘traditional image of the Christmas period is of a happy time, full of love and laughter, yet the truths at the heart of the nativity story include painful challenges arising from issues of migration, homelessness, political power and the pressure of cultural norms. These truths resonate in our world today as we deal with bereavement, divorce or separation, cope with the loss of a job, face financial problems or live with a long term illness.'

The service is always held on the Sunday closest to Winter Solstice, the shortest day of the year. It will be followed by 5 nights of prayer, livestreamed daily on the Cathedral’s Facebook page at 9.00 pm: a Christmas Vigil, keeping watch with and over all those for whom Christmas will be a particularly challenging time this year.