IN THE heart of the countryside in Truro diocese is the tiny village of St Ewe. This year it celebrated Candlemas, the Feast of the Presentation, in its own special way. “A few phone calls on the bush telegraph ensured that everyone arrived with a candlestick and candle of their own,” says the Revd Jenny Hill, Curate of St Mewan, Mevagissey and St Ewe.

As they all gathered outside the church porch, she coached them in a few lines from Psalm 24 until they could shout in unison: “Open the doors that the King of Glory may come in.” From within the church came the reply: “Who is the King of Glory?” and the people answered, “The Lord of Hosts, he is the King of Glory!” At that the doors were opened, the candles lit, and the people processed towards the 15th-century rood screen and into the chancel to place their candles on the altar (pictured).

At the head of the procession, says Mrs Hill, was a six-week-old baby, Alfie Smelt, in the arms of his parents. She says that the variety of candles, and the people holding them, were a shining example of the diversity of God’s people, and that “their individual lights combine into one greater light as witnesses of Christ’s presence in their community”.