The Blessing of the Crib in Trafalgar Square brought a candlelit procession, prayers and carol singing into the heart of London at Christmas in 2014. I joined the gathering at St Martin-in-the-Fields and followed the choir and clergy towards the illuminated nativity scene in the square.
Originally published on 10 December 2014, this film records the evening from the church steps to the ceremony and the return towards St Martin’s. The Christmas tree, National Gallery and surrounding streets form the backdrop, while the crib gives the gathering its focus.
Gathering at St Martin-in-the-Fields
The visit begins with a brief introduction beside Trafalgar Square before moving to the church. Beneath the lit portico, the camera looks up at columns and the patterned ceiling, then turns towards the doorway as people prepare to leave.
Choir members in white and red robes emerge with clergy and candles. Musicians are also part of the opening sequence. The film stays close to the gathering, catching the movement from the church entrance onto the pavement outside.
The procession towards Trafalgar Square
The procession makes its way from the church towards the square. Robes, candles and the sound of music stand out against the surrounding traffic and street lights. It is a short journey, but it connects the church directly with the public space beside it.
The original description called it a torch-lit procession. The footage gives that description a setting: people walking together through the city after dark, with the illuminated buildings of central London around them.
The Christmas crib after dark
In the square, the nativity scene is enclosed in a glass-sided structure and lit from within. The camera circles the display and moves closer to the figures, showing their colours, poses and the straw beneath them.
My original description credited the crib to artist Tomoaki Suzuki and explained that the figures drew inspiration from London’s diverse community. That detail belongs to the account accompanying this 2014 film and helps explain the individual character of the figures on display.
The tree and the wider square
The Christmas tree rises above the gathering, with the National Gallery lit behind it. The film moves between this wider view and the smaller nativity figures, placing two different Christmas sights within the same evening walk.
People gather around the crib beneath Nelson’s Column as the ceremony begins. The square remains recognisably a busy London setting, yet the crowd’s attention turns towards the blessing and the voices leading it.
Four journeys and the blessing of the crib
The spoken reflection centres on four journeys in the Christmas story: Mary and Joseph, the shepherds, the wise men and, in Christian belief, God coming to earth in Jesus. Each becomes a starting point for remembering people beyond the gathering.
The prayers remember parents and people far from home, those without somewhere to sleep, working people and those seeking work. They also turn towards conflict in the Middle East and the responsibilities of people in authority. The crib is presented as a place of encounter and reconciliation.
The article summarises those themes; the original film preserves the spoken ceremony. Following the blessing, the gathering sings Hark! The Herald Angels Sing, with the camera holding a wide view across the crowd and the illuminated display.
Returning towards St Martin’s
After the carol, the film returns to the church and nearby streets. The lit portico and steeple provide a final view before the closing farewell. Together with the procession and the square, they give the evening a clear beginning and end.
This is an archive of the 2014 occasion. For another festive walk from the same Christmas, see the Tate Modern Christmas market visit. The ceremony remains available below in the original film.
