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Epiphany Sunday

For Epiphany, Sean Fletcher visits a spectacular light festival in Durham. He discovers the Christian history of the city and introduces hymns celebrating light.

To mark Epiphany, Sean Fletcher is in Durham for the UK's largest light festival. He joins tens of thousands of visitors who come to see the medieval city and towering cathedral transformed by light installations. Falling each year on 6 January, Epiphany is the twelfth day of Christmas and marks the end of the festive period. Sometimes known as Three Kings' Day, it is a time to remember the story of the wise men led by a star to Bethlehem to worship the infant Jesus.

Sean meets professor of physics Tom McLeish to discover more about this part of the Christmas story and explores the great cathedral to learn more about its rich Christian history.

Music:

Brightest and Best - Church of St Cross, Winchester
We Three Kings of Orient Are - St Mark's, Maida Vale
O Lord of Every Shining Constellation - Christ Church, Port Sunlight
It Came Upon the Midnight Clear - Romsey Abbey
My Jesus, My Saviour - St Catherine's Church, Pontypridd
Lux Aeterna - Pershore Abbey
O Worship the King - Pershore Abbey
Angel Voices Ever Singing - Romsey Abbey.

34 minutes

Stories

Epiphany and Saint Bede
Sean Fletcher meets Tom McLeish in the Galilee Chapel of Durham Cathedral to learn more about the wise men and their guiding star; through ancient astrology, astronomy and ‘The Father of English history’ the Venerable Bede.

Lumiere
Sean Fletcher meets Lumiere’s bell ringing Conductor Chris Crabtree and we learn more about Lumiere from the festival’s founder Helen Marriage.

Saint Cuthbert
Sean Fletcher meets Marie-Thérèse Mayne to learn about Saint Cuthbert’s epiphany moment as a young shepherd and how Saint Cuthbert’s final resting place inspired the building of Durham Cathedral.

Rachael’s Testimony Story
Sean Fletcher meets Rachael Phillips to learn about her remarkable conversion to Christianity.  And they also reflect on the importance of lighting candles in pray.

90th Anniversary of the Daily Service on Radio 4
Pam Rhodes joins the Daily Service team in the studio to mark its 90th anniversary, learning about its long history as well as how the Daily Service continues to remain both current and a life line to its loyal listeners.

Credits

Role Contributor
Presenter Sean Fletcher
Presenter Pam Rhodes
Executive Producer Cat Lewis
Executive Producer Emyr Afan
Producer David Waters
Series Producer Matthew Napier
Production Company Avanti Media
Production Company Nine Lives Media

Broadcast