Greyfriars Kirk to mark 400 years on Christmas day

Since it opened it’s doors in 1620 Greyfriars has been home to many inspiring stories, most famously that of a devoted dog who kept guard by his owner’s grave for 14 years.

Greyfriars congregation

Now as the iconic Church is preparing to celebrate its 400th anniversary on Christmas Day it’s guardians are creating another legacy for future generations – a time capsule of how the community has coped during the pandemic.

The Kirk, which is also famous for its association with the Covenanters, church radicals of the 17th century, will hold a special service on December 25 for small groups of up to 50 due to current covid rules. In previous years the church has welcomed up to 500 at its regular Christmas eve service.

Rev Dr Richard Frazer, who has been the minister since 2003, said he hopes the snapshot of how communities coped during the pandemic will be made into a book which captures the life of the parish in the way Ministers did back in the 1700s.

Greyfriars Kirk

"We’ve asked people to share their stories of life this year, a year like no other, to record how they coped. This year we have learned that we are all vulnerable. In the past the Church has been at times obsessed with power, control and influence. I think my message to future Ministers is, this is something we need to move on from. We have seen strong, resilient communities adapting to help make sure those isolated are cared for. This year has been a time for us to think about what really matters. I think for the Church now it’s more about walking alongside people, journeying with them. I hope that’s what the stories in our time capsule will show.”

"We’ve asked our plumber, our electrician, members of the congregation and people who are involved in the Grassmarket community to do the same.”

The time capsule is being made in the workshop of the Grassmarket Community Project and will include items from the pandemic, as well as messages addressed to the future congregation from Rt Rev Dr Fair, the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland; Frank Ross, the Lord Provost of Edinburgh; and current members of the church.

For the thousands who visit Greyfriars every year either to pay homage to Bobby, visit graves that inspired Harry Potter or the Covenanters, Greyfriars is definitely more than a church.

Rev Fraser with staff member Gillian Couper

Greyfriars continues to serve its neighbours through the Grassmarket Community Project, a social enterprise that provides a lifeline to those experiencing issues around addiction, poverty, homelessness and mental health.

The congregation had organised an ambitious programme of events throughout 2020 including a festival of science and faith featuring speakers such as Professor Dame Sue Black.

The festival has now been rescheduled for October 2021 to be themed around the United Nations Climate Change Conference COP26.

Volunteers will be livestreaming the Kirk service for the first time on the Greyfriars Facebook page this Christmas Day at 10.30am.

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