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Hundreds of children visit cathedral live nativity

Toby Shepheard An actor playing the innkeeper stands in front of a red banner which says that he is the innkeeper. He wears a light brown tunic and a black-and-white headdress and is holding star stickers to give to the childrenToby Shepheard
Visitors to St Albans Cathedral met characters from the nativity story – including the innkeeper – in a trail around the building

About 400 children have followed a live nativity trail around a cathedral.

The event, organised by St Albans Cathedral, featured shepherds, wise people, angels, innkeepers and a tyrannical King Herod.

Visitors were taken to various locations at the cathedral before a nativity scene was revealed.

Youth chaplain Calum Zuckert said about 400 children had taken part in the event which "brought to life the amazing story we have to share".

Toby Shepheard The three wise people – a woman on the left in a black coast and beige headscarf holds a leaflet for the nativity trail, as does a woman in the middle wearing a purple shawl and a beige headdress. A man on the right is in a white tunic over the green shirt with a red and white head-dressToby Shepheard
Three wise people helped children find the baby Jesus

Starting from the south churchyard at the top of the Abbey Orchard where they met the angels and shepherds, visitors walked around the cathedral where they heard from characters who explained their part in the Christmas story.

Collecting stickers from each character, those who took part ended up outside the West End of the church where the nativity was brought to life in a stable which featured a real donkey, goats, chickens and ducks.

Father Zuckert said: "Every year, the live nativity brings to life the amazing story we have to share – and each year we see more excitement and engagement.

"It is an amazing expression of our work as a community – friends from near and far, young and old, all work together to share an unforgettable experience.

"At St Albans Cathedral, children are a vital part of our life together and our worship, and at Christmas this is particularly true."

Toby Shepheard A model depicting the baby Jesus is lying in a wooden manger. A real goat sits to its right. A friendly innkeeper looks over the baby. She is wearing a white tunic, a brown coat and a maroon head-dress.Toby Shepheard
The final stop was at the manger to see the baby Jesus

Nativity organiser Phillip Reardon, who also did a stint as a wise person, said: "The engagement of the children was palpable. Every child enjoyed the immersive experience of the live nativity, especially carrying messages from one set of characters to another and promising not to tell King Herod where baby Jesus was."

On the same day, the cathedral welcomed more than 8,000 people to its Carols on the Hour services.

Toby Shepheard The nave of St Albans Cathedral is filled with members of the public listening to a Carols on the Hour service. There is a Christmas tree in the foregroundToby Shepheard
St Albans Cathedral welcomed more than 8,000 people to the Carols on the Hour services on Saturday

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