From the Christ Church Cathedral Reinstatement Project
Christ Church Cathedral will host the 10-metre steel City Mission Christmas Tree and unveil Pete Majendie’s new artwork during the 12 Days of Christmas event which offers bookings for up to 50 visitors at a time on weekdays from Monday 1 December to Tuesday 16 December 2025.
Donation entry to the visit is a suggested minimum $25 koha with all proceeds going to the Christchurch City Mission. The initiative is supported by various Christchurch businesses, with no cost to the Christ Church Cathedral Reinstatement Project (CCRL) or City Mission.
Christchurch Dean, Ben Truman, said the visits were about bringing people back into their Cathedral at Christmas. At the forefront there is a desire to support the City Mission, and the thousands they support. “We want to tell the story of hope and be a place of hope.”
He said 2025 had been another hard year for many. “The Mission will provide 1,600 families who need the help with special food parcels this Christmas. Hundreds of families will get gifts for their children they couldn’t afford to buy. This is something we very much want to get behind.”
“Last year we brought the cherished tradition of the Mission Tree in the Cathedral back to life to remind everyone of the important part our Cathedral has in our city’s traditions and our long relationship with the Mission. This year we have been able to add a beautiful new artwork by Pete Majendie which tells the Christmas story which is incredibly special.”
Majendie is an installation artist who has exhibited in New Zealand and overseas. His best-known work is his 185 Empty White Chairs and this new artwork was made specifically with Christ Church Cathedral in mind. Titled, In the beginning… (2025) it is comprised of eight canvases telling the Christmas story.
A former house painter, Majendie has taken a large brush to the story, producing eight 4.5 x 1.8m canvases painted in the style of Colin McCahon. That is, a free-flowing cursive script in black and white. Each canvas contains sections of the Christmas story from the gospels.
He said,
“In the Beginning… is a line from the first canvas. The beginning of The Story, and the beginning of people coming back into their Cathedral.”
Christchurch City Missioner Corinne Haines said she was delighted that the City Mission tree has such a worthy and historic home again this Christmas.
“I am excited the Tree will be back, in our city’s beautiful Cathedral, and delighted to see it flanked by this new artwork by a local artist with such a fitting theme.”
“Christmas is a stressful time for many in our community so fundraising initiatives like this are incredibly important and mean so much to us, and the families your donation will help.”
CCRL and City Mission deeply appreciate the sponsorship and support of Naylor Love, Accessman and Holmes Solutions for their contributions towards this special Christmas effort.
Booking is essential and places are limited: Twelve Days of Christmas Cathedral Visits for the Christchurch City Mission – tickets available at Humanitix.
If you can’t visit, un-wrapped gifts and non-perishable donations are still welcomed to be dropped to the Transitional Cathedral (234 Hereford St) anytime between 9am and 4pm, Monday to Friday.