Iconic city church marks 400 years with time capsule
AS one of Scotland’s oldest and most iconic landmarks it has witnessed some of the country’s greatest historical moments.
And so to celebrate the 400th anniversary of Greyfriars Kirk in Edinburgh volunteers will create a time capsule for 2020 – including mementoes from the pandemic.
The time capsule is being made in the workshop of the city’s Grassmarket Community Project and will include a face mask and correspondence written by parishioners about the impact of crisis.
Other letters from Rt Rev Dr Martin Fair, the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland; Frank Ross, the Lord Provost of Edinburgh; and current members of the church.
Rev Dr Richard Frazer, who has been the minister of Greyfriars since 2003, said: ‘Compared to the immensity of “Deep Time”, a phrase coined by the geologist James Hutton, 400 years is the mere blinking of an eye. Hutton is one of the Enlightenment figures associated with Greyfriars Kirk and his memorial is in the graveyard.
‘That being said, these past 400 years have seen t he world t r ansformed more radically than any period in human history. The reformers who founded Greyfriars were deeply committed to universal education, especially for those blighted by poverty.
‘Our congregation continues the tradition of anti-poverty advocacy through our partnership with the Grassmarket Community Project and our commitment to issues around social justice.’
The church, now known for the statue of Skye terrier Greyfriars Bobby at its entrance, was the first church to be established after the Reformation, taking 20 years to complete.
In the years that followed it became the venue for the signing of the National Covenant, an agreement signed by the people of Scotland opposing reforms to the Church of Scotland by King Charles I. Volunteers will be l i vestreaming the Kirk service for the first time on the Greyfriars Facebook page this Christmas Day at 10.30am.