Global Carol Service
SINGERS from around the world will unite for first ever Global Carol Service at Leicester Cathedral.
A mix of readings, music, prayer and dance will make up the service, with one of the carols to be sung using the same words but in many different languages.
There will be contributions in Tagalog, from the Philippines, Nigerian Yoruba and Igbo, Polish, German, Dutch, French, Italian, Romanian, Swahili, Lingala, Shona and Urdu.
For one of the carols the whole congregation will be united in singing the same words but in many different languages.
Organising the special service is Reverend Lusa Nsenga-Ngoy, Black and Asian Minority Ethnic (BAME) Mission Enabler for the Church of England in Leicester Diocese.
He said: “In our context, Christianity is often perceived as a white, western faith.
“A global carol service is the opportunity to set the record right and display the cultural and ethnic breadth of Christianity.
“Christmas is also a time of closeness and family and home and we are reminded at this time of the many who are not at home for a variety of reasons.”
A choir from Church of the Resurrection is to sing Yesu Raja in Urdu and there will be items from Leicestershire’s Romanian Gypsy and Congolese communities.
The bishop of Loughborough, the Right Reverend Guli Francis-Dehqani, will wear the Windrush Cope for the event.
The ceremonial robe tells the story of life in Britain for the Windrush generation and their descendants and was worn for the first time at the Westminster Abbey service commemorating the Windrush 70th anniversary earlier this year.
It features a montage of aspects of black history in Britain since the arrival of the MV Empire Windrush in 1948, including the common No Irish, No blacks, No Dogs boarding house sign and a reference to the murder of Stephen Lawrence.
Free vegetarian refreshments and non-alcoholic drinks will be served after the service.
All are welcome to attend and you can register on the Leicester Diocese website.
The event is on Friday December 14 at 5.30pm.