It’s a number of firsts for Lichfield Cathedral and Worcester Cathedral invites visitors on a torchlight trail as both cathedrals open up after hours for Cathedrals at Night events.
Shhhh….Cathedrals At Night – a chance to experience our wonderful buildings after hours!
It will be a number of firsts for Lichfield Cathedral this weekend when they extend their opening hours for the first time this weekend; open their doors for their first Cathedrals At Night event, invite visitors to create a tapestry of summer flowers together to signify hope and love- and Sung Compline will be performed for the first time since lockdown by the lay vicars of the choir.
The Dean of Lichfield, the Very Revd Adrian Dorber, said:
“We want people to simply come and be in this beautiful space.
“Cathedrals at Night is an opportunity for anyone who wishes to experience the wonder of the Cathedral “out of hours”.
“There is a lively hustle and bustle during the day, but the evening provides a special kind of tranquillity when the Cathedral speaks in different ways. We want people to experience this and feel a connection with deeper meanings and with their deepest feelings.
“The aim of the night is to provide space to think about our own lives, to connect with one another and with God,’ he added.
Visitors are invited to trace a meditative prayerful route around the candlelit Cathedral, lay summer flowers around the star in The Crossing of the Cathedral and create their own cairn from pebbles. Lichfield’s Cathedrals at Night will end with Sung Compline at 9.30pm and as soon as it is dark enough, the West Front of the Cathedral will be illuminated by the Cathedral’s Artist-in-Residence, Peter Walker.
Lichfield Cathedral at Night – Saturday 29 August 6.30pm – 10pm – more here.
In Worcester, visitors are invited to bring their own torch for an atmospheric torchlight trail when they open their Cathedral after hours for a Cathedrals At Night event on Saturday 12 September.
The city centre cathedral, which stands majestically overlooking the River Severn, will be completely lit by candlelight to a backdrop of atmospheric music and visitors are invited to follow a prayerful trail through the building which has been a place of prayer and worship for fourteen centuries.
Please bring your own torch!
Worcester Cathedral At Night – Saturday 12 September, 6.15pm to 10pm – more here.
Cathedrals At Night is a project by the Association of English Cathedrals (AEC) for 2020 Year of Cathedrals, Year of Pilgrimage that unites the 42 Church of England cathedrals – plus Westminster Abbey, Cathedral Isle of Man, and St Davids and St Asaph from the Church in Wales – around a single, simple nationwide campaign – to open up after hours with a mix of cultural, heritage and spiritual activities– absolutely free.
The ambition was that Cathedrals at Night offered an opportunity for cathedrals to reach new audiences and re-engage with those more familiar with cathedral life.
Every Church of England cathedral had set a date for a Cathedrals at Night event during 2020. The first one took place in Rochester Cathedral in February under Luke Jerram’s Museum of the Moon installation before lockdown and the coronavirus pandemic meant most cathedrals have postponed or cancelled their plans.
St Albans was the first to re-instate their Cathedrals At Night following the easing of lockdown restrictions in July – and such was its success that they held their second Cathedrals At Night last Friday (Aug 21) and are hoping to find a date to open up after hours for a third Cathedrals at Night event later in the year.
