Christ Church Cathedral has announced it will host the 10 metre steel City Mission Christmas Tree and unveil a new artwork by installation artist Pete Majendie as part of its 12 Days of Christmas event, running on weekdays from December 1 to 16.

Visits will be limited to groups of up to 50 people at a time. Entry is by donation, with a suggested minimum of $25, and all proceeds will go to the Christchurch City Mission. The initiative is supported by several local businesses and is not funded by the Christ Church Cathedral Reinstatement Project or the City Mission.

Christchurch Dean Ben Truman said the goal was to welcome people back into the Cathedral at Christmas while supporting families in need.

“We want to tell the story of hope and be a place of hope,” he said. “The Mission will provide 1600 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.”

Truman said bringing the Mission Tree back into the Cathedral last year was an important moment for the city. This year’s addition is a new artwork created specifically for the Cathedral by Majendie, titled In the beginning… (2025). It features eight large canvases presented in the style of Colin McCahon, with flowing black and white script depicting the Christmas story.

Majendie, known internationally for 185 Empty White Chairs, said the first line of the artwork sets the tone. “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,” he said.

Christchurch City Missioner Corinne Haines welcomed the return of the tree to the Cathedral.

“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,” she said. “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.”

The Cathedral thanked sponsors Naylor Love, Accessman and Holmes Solutions for helping make the event possible.

Bookings are essential, and places are limited. Tickets for Twelve Days of Christmas Cathedral Visits for the Christchurch City Mission are available through Humanitix.

Those unable to visit can still donate unwrapped gifts or non perishable food items at the Transitional Cathedral on Hereford Street between 9AM and 4PM on weekdays.