Greyfriars Kirk to mark 400 years on Christmas Day
Since it op ened its do ors in 1620, Greyfriars in Edinburgh has been home to many inspiring stories, most famously that o f a d e vo t e d d o g wh o ke p t guard by his owner’s grave for 14 years.
Now as the i c o n i c c h u r c h is preparing to celebrate its 400th anniversary on Christmas Day its guardians are creating another legacy for future generations – a time capsule of how the community has coped during the pandemic.
T h e K i r k , w h i c h i s a l s o famous for its association with the Covenanters, church radicals of the 17th centur y, will hold a sp ecial ser vice on 25 December for small groups of up to 50 due to current covi d r u l e s . I n p r e v i o u s y e a r s the church has welcomed up to 500 at its regular Christmas Eve ser vice. The Rev Dr Richard Frazer, who has been the minister since 2003, said he hopes the snapshot of how communities cop ed during the pandemic will b e made into a b o ok which captures t h e l i f e o f t h e p a r i s h i n t h e way ministers did back in the 1700s.
"We ’ v e a s k e d p e o p l e t o share their stories of life this year, a year like no other, to record how they coped. This year we have learned that we are all vulnerable. In the past the Church has been at times obsessed with power, control and influence. I think my message to future ministers is, this is something we need to move on from.
“We have seen strong, resilient communities adapting to help make sure those iso - lated are cared for. This year has been a time for us to think about what really matters.
"I think for the Church now it’s more about walking alongside people, journeying with them. I hope that’s what the s t o r i e s i n o u r t i me c a p su l e will show.
"We’ve asked our plumber, our electrician, members of the congregation and people who are involved in the Grassmarket community to do the same.”
The time capsule is b eing m a d e i n t h e w o r k s h o p o f t h e G r a s s m a r k e t C o m m u - nit y Project and will include items from the current coro - navirus pandemic, as well as me s s a g e s a d d r e s s e d t o t h e f u t u r e c o n g r e g a t i o n f r o m the Rt Rev Dr Fair, the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland; Frank Ross, the Lord Provost o f E d i n b u rg h ; a n d c u r r e n t members of the congregation.