Anglicans celebrate ‘sea Sunday’

Press, 4 July 1983, Page 1

Anglicans celebrate ‘sea Sunday’

About 200 people and a military band marched to the No. 3 wharf at Lyttelton yesterday to witness the blessing of rows of colourfully bedecked vessels. The occasion was the blessing of a fleet of naval, fishing, commercial and pleasure craft by the Bishop of Christchurch, the Rt Rev. Alan Pyatt.

It was one of a number of special activities held at Lyttelton yesterday to celebrate “sea Sunday” and to emphasise sea life and those involved in nautical activities.

The celebrations began yesterday with a thanksgiving service at Holy Trinity Anglican Church, Lyttelton. The congregation, which comprised representatives of the Armed Services, the shipping industry, and church and civic organisations, watched a presentation of shipping flags and heard Bishop Pyatt outline

the history of Lyttelton and its contribution to Christchurch. The band of the 2nd Battalion (Canterbury, Nelson, Marlborough, West Coast), Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment, led a procession to the wharf. There Bishop Pyatt blessed a fleet of craft which were decorated for the ceremony with rows of flags. After the formal activities, the band provided musical entertainment, and the Timeball Station, the Lyttelton Museum, and a harbour tug were open to the public for the afternoon. The warden of Holy Trinity Church, Mr John Harrison, said that the “atrocious” weather probably kept many people away from the celebrations.

Although there have been similar activities at Lyttelton to pay tribute to seafaring people and craft, yesterday’s was the biggest celebration yet, he said.

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