Bedford, Corby celebrates the Nativity

We experienced a welcome return to normality after several years of pandemic restrictions had affected the festive season.

Large numbers of people came together at Church House in Bedford and then St Elijah's Church to celebrate Badnje Veče, the traditional evening celebration in anticiation of Christmas Day.  As usual, badnjak branchers were collected, decorated, blessed and burned to symbolise events some two thousand years ago in a barn on the outskirts of Bethlehem.

Božić was celebrated the following day in both towns again served by parish priest Father Radmilo.  He read out Patriarch Porfirije's Christmas encyclical which shared a message of peace and steadfastness in our convictions in the face of turmoil in the world, society and our holy land of Kosovo and Metohija.

CHRIST IS BORN !