Cathedral Christmas congregations have risen so much in recent years that many cathedrals are planning extra services for 2007.
Christmas Eve and Christmas Day attendance figures were up 7.5 per cent last year compared to 2005, and overall attendance since the Millennium has risen by 37 per cent.
* Find a Christmas Carol Service in cathedrals near you
York Minster (pictured) is planning two extra carol services this year, and expects 3,000 people at each; and Truro Cathedral in Cornwall has introduced a ticketing system for the first time for its carol service.
Durham Cathedral's Christmas Eve Midnight Eucharist saw attendance rise from 400 in 2005 to 900 last year. The 2007 service may be even bigger.
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