Nativity honoured in ecumenical worship

An interdenominational service at Toronto’s Cathedral Church of St. James inaugurated "A Northern Nativity," a well-attended international conference on the creche in history and contemporary society.

The colourful Nov.10 service included clergy from the Roman Catholic, United, Coptic and Eastern Rite churches, as well as refugees from Romania and Africa.

In addition to the St. James choir and bell ringers, the service also featured the Coptic Deacons’ Choir, the St. Michael’s Boys’ Choir and the orchestra from Metropolitan United Church. An indigenous minister of the United Church of Canada opened the service with a traditional smudge ceremony.

On Nov. 12, the University of Toronto’s medieval players, Poculi Ludique Societas, performed excerpts from three Nativity plays of the English city of Chester– complete with the Magi riding wooden camels.

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