Press Releases16 Dec 13

Lord Mayor of Belfast launches St Anne’s Cathedral ‘Black Santa’ Sit–out

The Lord Mayor of Belfast, Máirtín Ó Muilleoir, launched the ‘Black Santa’ Christmas sitout for charity at St Anne’s Cathedral along with the Dean of Belfast and the Bishop of Connor, The Rt Revd Alan Abernethy, this morning, Monday16 December 2013 (pictured right).

In the days leading up to Christmas Eve, the Very Revd John Mann will be joined on the cathedral steps by cathedral clergy, the Bishops of Connor and Down and Dromore, and members of the Cathedral Chapter. This is Dean Mann’s third Black Santa Christmas sitout for charity. As usual, most of the money collected will be distributed to local charities, with a portion going towards overseas work. This year there will be a separate collection to be donated to the Philippines Appeal.

Dean Mann said: ‘As we begin the Black Santa sitout again this year we are very conscious of needing to support local charities as we always do, but we are also very aware of the situation in the Philippines and elsewhere in the world.

‘Money donated during the Christmas sitout will be divided in the way it usually is, with most going to small local charities and some going towards overseas development, but we will keep a separate collection for anyone who wishes to give specifically to the Philippines Appeal.’

This will be the 37th Black Santa sitout, a tradition started in 1976 by Dean Sammy Crooks.

The sitout takes place from 9.00 a.m. –5.30 p.m. every day from December 16 until Christmas Eve with the exception of Sunday 22 December.

(Photo: Paul Harron/Church of Ireland Press Office)