Regular Events

The following is just a small sample of events at the Cathedral; please check the Cathedral Calendar for other events.

School events

• Kidsfest - Held each year in the school holidays (between terms 2 and 3), recent themes have included ‘Through the Wardrobe’ in 2005 and ‘Going, Going, Gollum’ in 2004
• The Cathedral Grammar School Founders' Day Service - Celebrated in March, this annual service commemorates the founding of the Cathedral’s Choir School.
• The Cathedral Grammar School Carol Service
   
• St Margaret’s College Founders' Day Service
• St Margaret’s College Carol Service
• Christ’s College Carol Service
• Visits to the Christmas Tree and carol singing- From the end of November until the end of the school term groups of primary school children and pre-school children come in to bring gifts to put under the Christmas tree and sing carols in the Cathedral. These visit are booked through the Cathedral so that each group has an arranged time. Letters of invitation are sent to schools in the third term.
• Children’s Christmas Service with Animals - Celebrated in December

 Seasonal programmes

• Shrove Tuesday - The last day before Lent, often marked with pancake races
• Ash Wednesday - The 7th Wednesday before Easter; the first day of Lent
• Lent - The period of 40 weekdays from Ash Wednesday to Holy Saturday
• Palm Sunday - Celebrates the entry of Jesus into Jerusalem, marking the beginning of Holy Week
• Maundy Thursday - The Thursday in Holy Week, celebrated with a foot washing ceremony; also the day on which the first Lord's Supper was celebrated
• Good Friday - The Friday before Easter Day on which the Passion and Death of Jesus Christ is commemorated
• Easter Day - The day on which the festival of Easter is celebrated
• Pentecost - Celebrated on the fiftieth day after Passover, the seventh Sunday after Easter; commemorates the emanation of the Holy Spirit to the apostles
• Advent - The liturgical period preceding Christmas, beginning four Sundays before Christmas Day. Advent is a time of preparation, of waiting and watching before the celebration of Christmas Eve and Christmas Day
• Advent Events include:
  - Advent procession and carol service - lighting of the Advent Wreath;
  - Advent Carol Service with schools;
  - Nine lessons and carols;
  - Carol recitals by the Cathedral Choristers;
  - Children's Christmas Service with the Animals;
  - City Mission Carol Service;
  - The Christmas Eve Midnight Service with Carols - Festival Eurcharist;
  - Christmas Day - Festival Eucharist and Festival Evensong

Annual events

• Floral Festival Service - Celebrated in February as part of the Festival of Flowers and Romance (opens in new window) 
• Shrove Tuesday - The last day before Lent, often marked with pancake races
• Ash Wednesday - The 7th Wednesday before Easter; the first day of Lent
• Lent - The period of 40 weekdays from Ash Wednesday to Holy Saturday
• The Cathedral Grammar School Founders' Day Service - Celebrated in March, this annual service commemorates the founding of the Cathedral’s Choir School
• Commonwealth Service - Celebrated in March to commemorate Commonwealth Day
• Palm Sunday - Celebrates the entry of Jesus into Jerusalem, marking the beginning of Holy Week
• Maundy Thursday - The Thursday in Holy Week, celebrated with a foot washing ceremony; also the day on which the first Lord's Supper was celebrated
• Good Friday - The Friday before Easter Day on which the Passion and Death of Jesus Christ is commemorated
• Easter Day - The day on which the festival of Easter is celebrated
• ANZAC Day Citizens Service - Commemorated on 25th April
• Week of Prayer for Christian Unity - Celebrated in May
• Organ Donor Transplant Service - Bi-annual event celebrated in May, this service commemorates the lives saved by organ donation and the lives given in organ donation
• Dialogue Programme and Confirmation Eucharist - A study series for those of all ages wishing to be confirmed
• Pentecost - Celebrated on the fiftieth day after Passover, the seventh Sunday after Easter; commemorates the emanation of the Holy Spirit to the apostles
• Oxfords - A month long annual visit in August by six lay clerks from Christ Church Oxford
• Peace Sunday - Celebrated in August
• VJ Day Service - Celebrated in August
• South to Antarctica Service - Celebrated in October, marks the start of the Antarctic summer season. Service is held in conjunction with Antarctica New Zealand and the United States Antarctic Program. The Erebus Chalice which has been housed in the Cathedral over the winter is returned in the Chapel of the Snows at McMurdo Station for the summer.
• Blessing of the Animals - Celebrated in October to mark St Francis Day held in conjunction with the SPCA. Children are invited to bring their pets to the service
• Seafarers’ Service - Celebrated in October commemorating that who give and have given their lives to t he sea, held in conjunction with the Royal New Zealand Navy
• Association of Anglican Women Festival Communion Service - Celebrated in October
• United Nations Day - celebrated in October
• St Margaret’s College Founders Day Service - Celebrated in October
• Cathedral Patronal Festival - Celebrated in late October / early November
• Remembrance Sunday - Celebrated in November
• Aotearoa Sunday - Celebrated on the last Sunday before advent
• St Margaret’s College Carol Service - Celebrated in November
• The Cathedral Grammar School Carol Service
   
• Christ’s College Carol Service - Celebrated in November
• Advent - The liturgical period preceding Christmas, beginning four Sundays before Christmas Day. Celebrations culminate in the celebration of Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.
• Advent Events include:
  - Advent procession and carol service - lighting of the Advent Wreath;
  - Advent Carol Service with schools;
  - Nine lessons and carols;
  - Carol recitals by the Cathedral Choristers;
  - Children's Christmas Service with the Animals;
  - City Mission Carol Service;
  - The Christmas Eve Midnight Service with Carols - Festival Eurcharist;
  - Christmas Day - Festival Eucharist and Festival Evensong