Longparish, Hampshire, England
St. Nicholas Day School ServiceThe whole Church of England Primary School (about 90 pupils), and parents and governors who are able to come, meet in St Nicholas’ Parish Church on the afternoon of St Nicholas’ Day. There may be a presentation by some of the children, and certainly a reading. The main part of the celebration is a short service of installation of a boy or girl bishop. The bishop designate is chosen by the school staff, and installed on the church’s Bishop’s Chair at the chancel step. The bishop alternated from a Year 4 boy to a Year 4 girl. A parent made the set of episcopal vestments and the mitre. The tradition started here in 2000, when the Archdeacon of Winchester installed the first Boy Bishop of Longparish. Our intention was to emphasise the generosity of St Nicholas by giving each child a gold coin on leaving!