THE Archbishop of York has spoken of the 'unopened presents around our Christmas trees today' and 'empty places at our tables' - but denied that Christmas has been cancelled.

Stephen Cottrell, delivering his first Christmas sermon at York Minster to a smaller than usual and socially distanced congregation, said we are 'crying out for an end to the horrors of this pandemic.'

He said: "Christmas was always going to be different this year. And difficult. We knew we wouldn’t be able to do the things we wanted. We knew our celebrations would be restricted.

"But with the unwelcome arrival of a new and virulent strain of Covid19, even these small plans have had to be cancelled or cut back. There will be unopened presents around our Christmas trees today. There will be empty places at our tables. Many of us will be on our own.

"Our poorest communities have been hit hardest. Lockdown is easier if you live in a large house with a garden. And you can work from home if yours is the sort of job that can be done on a computer or over the ‘phone. But for many lower paid jobs this isn’t even an option. And going to work puts you in danger. And while some have been furloughed, others have lost their jobs altogether.

"And that’s before we’ve even started to imagine – if we can – what it’s like to be hungry or homeless in Britain today, as is the grim reality for far too many of our… now what shall I call them? These people who have suffered and are suffering so much? Fellow citizens? Or just lump them together and call them ‘the poor’ or ‘the homeless’ or ‘the destitute’, as if they weren’t people like you and me?"

But he insisted: "Christmas isn’t cancelled this year. Our celebrations may be restricted. We might each be carrying a great sadness because we can’t be with our loved ones. We are, of course, crying out for an end to the horrors of this pandemic, but we are also filled, as the carol has it, with comfort and joy.

"Why? Because God shares our life in Jesus Christ. In him, heaven touches earth. God reaches out to hold us, even though at the moment, we can’t hold each other.

"So, we are strengthened to face the challenges that lie ahead; we are determined to build a better world where there can be a greater sharing of the world’s resources; a greater respect for the earth; and a greater determination to live in peace."