By Jessica Easthope
There’s 17,000 lights on the 28-foot Norway Spruce that sits across from the Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Arch in Grand Army Plaza. The multicolored bulbs represent the diversity of the Diocese of Brooklyn, something Bishop Robert Brennan celebrates all year round.
“I speak a lot about not only diversity but what we would call being Catholic,” Bishop Brennan tells Currents News. “Catholic means universal, the universality of who we are and communion that we are, drawn together by a deep bond formed by faith, hope and love by our connection with Jesus Christ who we celebrate these days in a particular way.”
For about a decade the Diocese of Brooklyn has been a lighting a tree in Grand Army Plaza for the faithful to see as a symbol of light and hope during Advent. With musical performances and plenty of holiday cheer, those who came to see this year’s tree illuminated say it instantly puts them in the Christmas spirit.
“It’s nice to have these symbols and traditions that evoke that feeling of community and family,” says tree lighting attendee Caleb Ferguson.
“We just moved to New York, coming to the tree and seeing it go up will get us in the Christmas mood every year,” Caleb Ollivant, who brought his two children to the event, adds.
The tree will stand across from the Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Arch until the first week of January.