THE bishop of St Asaph has urged readers to 'listen out for the angels' in his Christmas message.

Drawing parallels between the heavenly host of angels who visited the shepherds after Jesus’ birth and the bravery and dedication of those who have served us throughout this year’s pandemic, Gregory Cameron remembers the words of the well-known carol It came upon a midnight clear.

Describing it as his "carol for 2020", it speaks of the darkness of the world, but calls people to listen to the message of the angels.

Bishop Gregory said: "I suspect many of you will know it [the carol], and sing it this Christmas, but it says something very appropriate.

"The carol, written in 1849 by Edmund Sears, speaks of the darkness of the world, but bids us listen to the message of the angels: O rest beside the weary road, And hear the angels sing!

"2020 has been a terrible year: the virus has cost us a lot, in lives, in livelihood, in lifestyles, and with news of the new lockdown we all probably feel very weary.

"Yet, perseverance must be our watchword, and, hopefully, 2021 will see the end of the tyranny of the virus as the vaccination programme rolls out.

"Acknowledging the weariness, the carol bids us listen to the message of the angels, in the same way that, according to the Bible, the shepherds, cold in the fields and working night shifts, were surprised by a chorus of angels speaking words of good news and peace to them.

"We are unlikely to be surprised by a heavenly host," the bishop added.

"But 'hearing the angels sing' can have meaning for us – to concentrate and reflect upon the good news of this year, of the bravery and dedication of those who have served us in the medical world, of the compassion and care offered by folk to their neighbours, of the love of friends and relatives.

"For me, as a Christian, it will also be to reflect on the birth of a child who is God’s gift to us, Jesus, in whose teaching we find the way of life, and in whose life we find the possibility of renewed love, joy and peace.

"Let us listen out for the angels: 'Glory to God in the highest, and peace on earth to all people of good will.'"

At this time of year, the bishop would usually be visiting schools, hospitals and preparing for Christmas service.

With Covid restrictions in place, he has been unable to make his usual visits but has sent video messages of support.

The bishop will preach at Midnight Mass at St Asaph Cathedral.

To manage numbers and maintain social distancing, all Christmas services at St Asaph Cathedral are (free) ticket-only events. The service will be available online too and details are on the Cathedral website.

In addition, Bishop Gregory has prepared a Christmas card which can be downloaded from the diocesan website.

The card contains 12 ideas to celebrate Christmas during the 12 days of Christmas, which traditionally run from Christmas Day to Epiphany on January 6.