Christingle Service shines light on Advent
Four hundred people marked the start of Advent in Hillsborough with an atmospheric all–age service in the parish church.
Following the service, the congregation made their way down to the church gates for the lighting of the village Christmas tree by the Mayor of Lisburn and Castlereagh.
What is a Christingle Service?
Named after the Christingles that are lit during the celebration, this is a popular all–age service for the Advent season and is often used on Christmas Eve. Christingles are made from an orange decorated with red tape, sweets and a candle. Each element has a special meaning and helps to tell the Christian story:
- The orange represents the world
- The red ribbon (or tape) symbolises the love and blood of Christ
- The sweets and dried fruit represent all of God’s creations
- The lit candle represents Jesus’s light in the world, bringing hope to people living in darkness.