Cathedrals illuminated to encourage onlookers to come to church

The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, launched the Church of England’s Night of the Stars outside Canterbury Cathedral

The special Evensong services were culminating the Church of England’s “Follow The Star” campaign with reflections from Christmas Eve to Epiphany.

The Bishop of Durham, Paul Butler went to the light show at Durham Cathedral.

Both events were attended by hundreds of people carol singing and music was provided by the cathedrals’ choirs.

The two ancient cathedrals are both World Heritage Sites and they are the first to use this type of technology in a worship service. The Church of England were aiming to bring the beauty of a cathedral service to a wider audience outside.

Other churches across the country displayed illuminated stars for the Follow the Star campaign, with the aim of encouraging people to come to church services this Christmas.

Many other stars have been put as part of this campaign. Congregations and wider communities across the country have mounted illuminated stars on towers, walls and advertising hoardings and produced a range of star-themed items from T shirts to beer mats to promote the campaign.

The Dean of Durham, Andrew Tremlett, said: “Taking part in the…