York Minster announces reopening plans and summer exhibitions

York Minster is preparing to welcome back sightseeing visitors from Monday 17 May with three new exhibitions planned for the summer exploring the history, architecture and Christian story of the iconic cathedral church.

The Minster has been open for worship since March, but it will be the first time people have been able to return for a general admission visit since 30 December 2020, with tickets now available to book online.

Visitors will be able to see and hear the Grand Organ, unveiled following a once-in-a-century refurbishment, as well as explore the cathedral’s next major conservation project, the medieval St Cuthbert Window, through an exhibition opening in June.

The Dean of York, Jonathan Frost, said: “We’re delighted to be reopening and look forward to welcoming people back to the Minster.

“We have developed a programme of exhibitions and activities for the summer which will enable visitors and pilgrims to explore the layers of history held in the Cathedral’s magnificent architecture, which has the Christian story at its heart.”

The project to refurbish the Grand Organ was completed in March and the instrument can now be heard throughout the week alongside the world class Choir of York Minster at Choral Evensong services, which offer the perfect way to complete a visit to the cathedral.

A photography exhibition exploring the craft skills which were applied to the £2m refurbishment project will run from 18 June – 18 July, as part of a wider programme to celebrate its return.

On Saturday 12 June a new exhibition about the medieval St Cuthbert Window, which tells the story of the life and miracles of one of Northern England’s most significant saints, will open at the cathedral. The exhibition, Light, Glass & Stone: Conserving the St Cuthbert Window, will run until 2024 and explore the cathedral’s current project to conserve the window, which is around 600-years-old and one of the largest surviving narrative windows in Europe. Visitors will have the rare opportunity to see at close range medieval stained glass panels removed from the window as part of the work.

In August the Minster will celebrate the life and work of Grinling Gibbons, the most celebrated British woodcarver of the 17^th century, as part of Grinling Gibbons 300 – Carving a Place in History, a national programme marking the 300^th anniversary of his death.

Grinling Gibbons: Monuments to Glory, will open at the cathedral on Sunday 1 August and focus on three stone monuments which Gibbons produced for the cathedral of Archbishops Dolben, Lamplugh and Sterne, placing these in the context of his life and wider work. The year-long exhibition will be complemented by a sculpture trail inside the cathedral.

Subject to confirmation of step 3 of the Government’s roadmap, the Minster will be open for sightseeing visits from Monday 17 May at the following times:

• Monday – Saturday: 10am to 4.30pm, with last admission at 3.45pm.
• Sunday: 12.30pm to 3.15pm, with last admission at 2.30pm.

To help safely manage numbers inside the cathedral, all general admission visits must be booked in advance online with tickets now available here.

The cathedral has recently reintroduced Choral Evensong to its programme of services and is currently open for worship daily at the following times:

Monday – Saturday

• 30am: Morning Prayer
• 50am: Holy Communion
• 30pm: Private Prayer (from 17 May this will be extended to 10am – 4.30pm)
• 30pm: Choral Evensong (Evening Prayer on Mondays).

Sunday

• 8am: BCP Communion
• 10am: Choral Matins
• 11am: Choral Eucharist
• 15pm: Private Prayer (from 17 May this will be extended to 12.30pm – 3.15pm)
• 4pm Choral Evensong

Free tickets must be booked in advance for Sunday services and are available eight days in advance here.

York Minster has put a range of measures in place to help keep its staff, volunteers and visitors safe including enhanced cleaning, hand sanitiser points, limiting capacities and a one-way system.

The York Minster Shops inside the cathedral and at Minster Gates both reopened on Monday 12 April and are open daily and Dean’s Park, the popular green space to the north of the cathedral, is also open seven days a week.

The Library and Archives at York Minster’s Old Palace will also welcome back visitors on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from w/c 17 May by pre-booked appointments only.

For full details of all opening times, services and events at the cathedral, head to Plan Your Visit.

Archbishop of York to Install Eight New Canons as Members of York Minster’s College of Canons

Eight new Honorary Canons will be collated, admitted and installed as members of the College of Canons of York Minster on Sunday 25^th April.

The Installations will take place within a service of Choral Evensong and will be livestreamed. The Honorary Canons elect will be collated and admitted prior to being installed by The Archbishop of York, Stephen Cottrell. Reservations will not be required for the Evensong service but due to the Coronavirus restrictions, capacity will be strictly limited.

The Dean of York, the Right Revd Dr Jonathan Frost said members of the College of Canons act as ambassadors for the mission and work of York Minster and as  ‘critical friends’, bringing a wealth of experience and guidance.  Jonathan said: “The members of the College of Canons bring lively faith, rich experience and great wisdom to York Minster, the Cathedral Church of the Diocese of York. I very much look forward to welcoming them on Sunday and to the journeys and adventures we shall share together in the years to come”.

These honorary appointments are in addition to any posts the Canons Elect currently hold:

The eight Canons Elect are:

• The Revd Nick Bird to be Canon and Prebendary of Fenton
• The Revd Dominic Black to be Canon and Prebendary of Weighton
• Mrs Ros Brewer to be Canon and Prebendary of Ulleskelf
• The Revd Richard Carew to be Canon and Prebendary of Knaresborough
• The Revd Glyn Holland to be Canon and Prebendary of Ampleforth
• The Revd Anne Richards to be Canon and Prebendary of North Newbald
• The Revd Tim Robinson to be Canon and Prebendary of Langtoft.

The Archdeacon of Cleveland, the Venerable Amanda Bloor, will also be admitted and installed on the same occasion, following her collation last year.

The Archbishop of York said: “I pray that the gifts, wisdom and, above all, Christ-centredness that these new Canons bring to the life of the Cathedral and the Diocese, will be a huge blessing to our life together, and that the places where they serve will be enriched in return. May God fill them with joy to match the patience they have shown in waiting so long for their collation, admission and installation!”

Biographical details

The Revd Nick Bird – Canon and Prebendary of Fenton
Nick was ordained in 2005 and served as Curate in Thirsk until 2009. Since then he has served in what is now the Benefice of Rural East York, comprising Dunnington, Stockton-on-the-Forest, Holtby and Warthill, initially as Priest in Charge and now as Rector. He is a member of the Diocesan Vocations Team and since 2016 has been Area Dean of Derwent Deanery.

The Revd Dominic Black – Canon and Prebendary of Weighton
Dominic was ordained in 1998 and served as Curate at St Michael and All Angels, Orchard Park, Hull until 2004. He was Vicar of Holy Trinity, North Ormesby, Middlesbrough from 2004 to 2020 when he moved become Priest-in-Charge of Hull Minster, and will become Vicar there in 2021. He was also Area Dean of Middlesbrough from 2011 to 2020.

Mrs Ros Brewer to be Canon – Prebendary of Ulleskelf
Ros, a former nurse, is Lay Dean of Scarborough, a Lay Member of the Church of England’s General Synod representing the Diocese of York and consequently a Member of Diocesan Synod, the Diocesan Pastoral and Property Committees, the Diocesan Board of Finance and the Vacancy-in-See Committee; a member of the Deaneries Development Group and more.

The Revd Richard Carew – Canon and Prebendary of Knaresborough
Richard was ordained in 2005 and served as Curate at Beverley Minster. From 2010 to 2018 he was Domestic Chaplain to Archbishop of York Dr John Sentamu, and is now Vicar of St Edward the Confessor, Dringhouses, York.

The Revd Glyn Holland – Canon and Prebendary of Ampleforth
Fr Glyn was ordained in 1985 and served as Curate at St Chad and St Martin, Wakefield until 1989. He was Vicar of St Andrew, Ferrybridge, West Yorkshire, and also Hospice/Hospital Chaplain at Pontefract General Infirmary from 1989 to 1996. Since 1996 he has been Vicar of All Saints, Middlesbrough, where in 2008 he was voted ‘Citizen of the Year’.

The Revd Anne Richards – Canon and Prebendary of North Newbald
Anne was ordained in 2010 following some years as a Christian youth worker, and served as non-stipendiary minister at St Michael and All Angels, Orchard Park, Hull, until 2015. She has been Chaplain to Archbishop Sentamu Academy, Hull, since 2014.

The Revd Tim Robinson – Canon and Prebendary of Langtoft
Tim was ordained in 1991 and served as Curate at St Mary, West Acklam, Middlesbrough until 1995. He was Priest-in-Charge and then Vicar of Holy Trinity, North Ormesby, Middlesbrough from 1995 to 1999. He worked in teaching and theological education from 2000 to 2009. In 2010 he became Priest-in-Charge and later incumbent of the Upper Ryedale group and of Helmsley, and has additionally been Area Dean of Northern Ryedale Deanery since 2011.

The Ven Amanda Bloor – Archdeacon of Cleveland
Amanda was ordained in 2004 and served as Chaplain and Diocesan Advisor in Women’s Ministry to the Bishop of Oxford and subsequently as Area Director of Ordinands for Berkshire, before moving to the Isle of Wight in 2015 to serve as Priest in Charge of Holy Trinity Bembridge and Assistant Diocesan Director of Ordinands in the Diocese of Portsmouth. Amanda undertook Doctoral research in Clergy Wellbeing and has a keen interest in the flourishing of those engaged in ministry. She was appointed Archdeacon of Cleveland in 2020 and is additionally the Warden of Readers for the Diocese of York.

Services at York Minster commemorating the life of His Royal Highness, The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh

Further services of commemoration and thanksgiving for the life of HRH The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, were announced today by York Minster.

The Dean of York, the Right Revd Dr Jonathan Frost said:  “This week, the nation will come together to pay our respects to a remarkable man who dedicated his long life to service. We approach this week with sadness, but also with a sense of thanksgiving for the life of the Duke of Edinburgh.

“We will remember his sacrificial service, his care for the environment, his visionary work for young people through the awards scheme that bears his name and, above all, for the support he gave to Her Majesty The Queen.”

Reservations will not be required for these services but due to the Coronavirus restrictions, capacity will be limited to 150 people. Please arrive early to ensure a seat.

Friday 16 April at 5.30pm

Choral Evensong in Thanksgiving for the life of HRH The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh  (This service will also be available via livestream HERE).

Taking place on the eve of the funeral, this traditional service from the Book of Common Prayer will be led by the Songmen and Choral Scholars of York Minster with music by Francis Jackson, Herbert Howells, David Halls and Charles Wood. During the service there will be special readings and prayers of thanksgiving led by the Dean of York.

Saturday 17 April

On the day of the funeral, the services at York Minster will be Morning Prayer at 7.30am, Holy Communion at 7.50am and Evening Prayer at 5.30pm.  The Minster will be open for private prayer from 2pm with the opportunity for reflection and the lighting of candles.

The Minster’s Great Peter Bell will toll at 2pm for one hour. At 3pm, York Minster will join the nation in keeping a minute of silence as a mark of respect for the late Duke.

Wednesday 21 April at 5.30pm

Choral Evensong with Prayers for the Royal Family (This service will also be available via livestream HERE).

A service with prayers, readings and music. The Archbishop of York, the Most Reverend and Right Honourable, Stephen Cottrell will preach at the service.

York Minster pays tribute to HRH The Duke of Edinburgh

The Dean of York, The Right Revd Dr Jonathan Frost, has issued the following prayer on the announcement of the death of His Royal Highness, The Duke of Edinburgh.

Eternal God, our Heavenly Father,
We bless your holy name for all that you have given us, in and through the life of Philip, Duke of Edinburgh.
We give you thanks for his long and full life:  for his strength of character, for his devotion to family, Nation and Commonwealth.
We give you thanks for the encouragement he gave to so many and especially the young.
We pray for Her Majesty the Queen and the Royal Family in their grief, that they might know the comfort of your love. 
Through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen

The Dean also confirmed the following arrangements at York Minster for today, Friday 9th April.

3pm: The Great Peter Bell will be tolled 99 times marking the years of the late HRH Duke of Edinburgh’s life.

3.30pm: York Minster will open for private prayer, reflection and for the lighting of candles. Please note that capacity inside the Minster will be limited in line with the current Covid restrictions.
Floral tributes may be brought to Dean’s Park where they will be placed close to the Five Sisters Window.  Dean’s Park will remain open until 7pm.

4.30pm: The Archbishop of York, The Most Reverend and Right Honourable Stephen Cottrell, will give a news conference in the Lady Chapel of York Minster.

5.30pm: There will be a service of Evening Prayer led by the Archbishop of York and the Dean of York.

York Minster will be open from 3.30pm for private prayer until 5.30pm Monday to Saturday and 2.15pm until 4pm on Sundays from today until 18 April. There will be no book of condolences to sign, but we invite you to send a message online using the Church of England’s online condolence book.

On Sunday, 11am Eucharist and 4pm Evening Prayer, in memory of HRH the Duke of Edinburgh, will take place. Both services will be livestreamed here.

Dean’s Park will also be open from 10am until 7pm where you are welcome to lay flowers for The Duke of Edinburgh.

A Prayer for HRH Duke of Edinburgh

A prayer on the death of HRH The Duke of Edinburgh

God of our lives,
we give thanks for the life of Prince Philip,
for his love of our country,
and for his devotion to duty.
We entrust him now to your love and mercy,
through our Redeemer Jesus Christ.

Amen

Holy Week and Easter at York Minster 2021

York Minster today announced its services and events for Holy Week and Easter, the most important festival in the calendar for Christians around the world.

The Dean of York, the Rt Revd Dr Jonathan Frost said:  “In Holy Week, we walk with Jesus through the Passion story: from his triumphal entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday; to his trial, and execution, commemorated on Good Friday; through the grief and silence of Holy Saturday, to the utter joy of the resurrection on Easter Day. We bear witness to the love of God, which overcomes even death itself, and will never abandon us – love which leads to life in its fullest sense. This is our story! This is our song!”

Services and events inside the Minster will be facilitated in accordance with the Minster’s strict Covid-security measures, with social distancing, hand sanitising, a one-way system, cleaning of all surfaces between visits and no more than 75 people in the cathedral at any one time. Pre-booking for the main Easter services is essential.

Palm Sunday – 28^th March

Eucharist for Palm Sunday

10.30am – Livestream (with limited tickets for congregation).

At the Eucharist we hear the Passion Gospel, sung by the Songmen and Choral Scholars of York Minster and bless palm crosses, as a reminder of Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem, and what would come afterwards. This service turns from triumph to sorrow, marking the beginning of Jesus’ journey to towards the cross.

Choral Evensong for Palm Sunday

4pm – Livestream (with limited tickets for congregation).

A service of Choral Evensong which prepares us for our walk with Christ through Holy Week. The Preacher will be Canon Maggie McLean.

Monday 29^th March

7pm – A Service of Lament (Online Premiere).

There is a long tradition of Lament in the Scriptures, where people of faith raise their voices to God in grief. In this season of Lent we provide a short service in which we can express our grief and sadness to God, with hope that God is with us in sorrow, and will hear our cries.

Tuesday 30^th March

7pm – Candlelit Compline – Online Premiere

A beautiful candlelit service of night prayer with music and stillness. This service is a form of prayer said at the completion of the day, and traditionally after this service we are encouraged to enter into a time of silence.

Wednesday 31^st March

7pm – Tenebrae – Online Premiere

The service of Tenebrae takes its name from the Latin word for ‘darkness’ or ‘shadows.’ It is a solemn reflection on the searing events of Holy Week—in readings from the Gospels, psalmody, music and silence.  Candles are gradually extinguished until only a single candle, considered a symbol of Christ, the light of the world, remains. Toward the end of the service, the ‘Christ candle’ is hidden, typifying the apparent victory of the forces of evil over good.  At the end, a loud noise is made (the strepitus), symbolizing the earthquakes at the time of his death and his resurrection. The hidden candle is then restored to its place, symbolizing the triumph of good over evil.

Maundy Thursday – 1^st April

11am – The Chrism Eucharist (Livestream only)

The Archbishop of York will preside and preach at the Chrism Eucharist and will bless holy oils for use through the coming year. Traditionally, in this service, ordained and lay ministers from across the Diocese gather together to renew their vows and their commitment to ministry. Because we are unable to gather together this year, the service will be live-streamed for the first time enabling everyone to participate in this moving and memorable act of worship.

7pm – The Liturgy of Maundy Thursday: A Eucharist of the Last Supper

(Livestream with limited tickets for congregation).

The Eucharist of the Last Supper recalls the final meal Jesus shared with his disciples in the upper room, before his arrest and trial. As we bless bread and wine, we follow his command to proclaim his death until he comes in glory. In a year when many have been unable to partake physically in the Eucharist, this service will help us all reflect on the meaning of the body and blood of Christ, and how we can be bound together through this sacrament even in its absence. The preacher will be Canon Michael Smith.

Good Friday – 2^nd April

10am – The Liturgy of Good Friday (Livestream with limited tickets for congregation).

A simple service in which we gather at the foot of the cross to pray, with readings and music. The Preacher will be the Dean of York, the Rt Revd Dr Jonathan Frost.

Reflections for Good Friday

12noon until 3pm (Livestream with limited tickets for congregation).

This year we offer three separate half hour services with scripture, silence and music to aid our devotions. The Preacher will be the Revd Catriona Cumming, Succentor.

Holy Saturday, Easter Eve – 3^rd April

8pm – The Vigil and First Eucharist of Easter (Limited tickets for congregation)

This Eucharist moves from darkness to light. We recall God’s saving actions through time, culminating in the Resurrection in the light of the first Easter Day. The Easter Vigil marks the end of the emptiness of Holy Saturday, and leads into the celebration of Christ’s resurrection. The singing of the Exsultet, the ancient hymn of triumph and rejoicing, links this night of our Christian redemption to the Passover night of Israel’s redemption out of Egypt.  The Easter Gospel is proclaimed with all the joy and splendour that the church can find and the Alleluia, which has been silent throughout Lent, returns.

Easter Day – Sunday 4^th April                                             

8am – Holy Communion from the Book of Common Prayer

A simple said service in the traditional language of the Book of Common Prayer and King James Bible.

10am – Choral Matins on Easter Day (Limited tickets for congregation).

Following the pattern of Matins from the Book of Common Prayer, with sung psalms, canticles and an anthem.

11am – Festal Eucharist on Easter Day (Livestream with limited tickets for congregation). We greet the risen Lord with joy, proclaiming Alleluia, Christ is risen, he is risen indeed!  The President and Preacher will be the Archbishop of York.

4pm – Solemn Evensong on Easter Day and Dedication of the Grand Organ

(Livestream with limited tickets for congregation).

A great day of rejoicing culminates in an uplifting service of Choral Evensong and the dedication of York Minster’s Great Organ by the Archbishop of York, which is brought back to life after three years of refurbishment.

The Preacher is Canon Victoria Johnson, Precentor.

Services during Easter Week

7.30am Morning Prayer (Common Worship)

7.50am Holy Communion.

Evensong in Holy Week

Daily at 5.30 pm (Limited tickets for congregation)

We mark the end of each day in Holy Week with Choral Evensong – with seasonal psalmody and music, scripture and prayers and becoming more sparse and simple each day. These services take place in the building and will not be live-streamed.

Stations of the Cross – Online

Friday 26^th March until Good Friday, 2^nd April.

Released each day at 12noon

The Stations of the Cross originated when early Christians visited Jerusalem hoping to follow in the footsteps of Jesus, tracing the path from Pilate’s house to Calvary. They would pause for prayer and devotion at various points. Eventually those pilgrims brought the practice back to their home countries and ever since, Christians of differing traditions have used this form of devotion. This year we make our pilgrimage online. We use stations created by students from St Peter’s School, York. Each station will be accompanied by a Bible reading, a piece of music, a short reflection, and a prayer.

To access Stations of the Cross online click here. The stations will also be released on our social media channels.

A National Day of Reflection for the first anniversary of lockdown

Tuesday 23 March at York Minster

The Grand Organ returns after once-a-century restoration project

Re-live the #Organ100 project by clicking below:

York Minster’s newly refurbished Grand Organ will be blessed on Sunday (7 March) and played at services throughout Lent following the completion of work on a once-a-century project.

A prayer will be said for the organ during the cathedral’s livestreamed Eucharist service at 11am, before it is played for the first time during worship since 2018.

The blessing is the first step in marking the completion of the £2m refurbishment project, allowing the instrument to be played at services throughout Lent before the dedication of the organ by the Archbishop of York at Evensong on Easter Day (Sunday 4 April).

The instrument was last played during worship in October 2018 before work began to remove the organ, including nearly all of its 5,000 plus pipes, so it could be taken to organ specialists in Durham for cleaning, repair and replacement.

The work has included bringing the majority of the organ’s 102 decorative case pipes back into use, which have been silent since the last major refurbishment in 1903.

Robert Sharpe, York Minster’s Director of Music, said: “We’re delighted to be able to bring the Grand Organ back into regular use at the heart of worship at the cathedral. It will be a gentle return in March due to the solemnity of the season of Lent, but building to a celebration on Easter Day when the organ will be dedicated by the Archbishop of York.

“The refurbishment preserves the unique sound of the Minster’s organ whilst renewing its mechanism.  Work has included bringing many of the 102 case pipes which have been silent since 1903 back into use and restoring the grander, imposing qualities of the instrument which were altered during work in the 1960s.

“Organ music has played a central role in worship at York Minster for nearly 1,000 years and we hope this project will help ensure that tradition continues throughout the 21^st century and beyond.”

The work to refurbish the organ, which dates from the early 1830s and is one of the largest cathedral organs in the country, weighing approximately 20,000kg, has been completed by Durham-based organ specialists Harrison and Harrison.

The team removed the organ in October 2018 and transported it to their warehouse in Durham so they could undertake work to replace the organ’s mechanism and clean and overhaul the instrument.

In 2019 and early 2020 parts of the organ were returned to the Minster, including the 102 decorative case pipes which are among the oldest surviving pipes in the organ, dating from 1832.

During the refurbishment 30 of the original case pipes were found to be beyond economic repair and were replaced, with the originals auctioned to help raise funds to support the project.

In autumn 2019 and early 2020, graining and marbling specialists Robert Woodland & Son cleaned and repainted the original case pipes and decorated the new, replacement pipes to match the originals.

Work on the refurbishment project briefly paused in March 2020 due to the Coronavirus pandemic, before the instrument was rebuilt between June and October 2020.

Between November 2020 and February 2021 experts worked to ‘voice’ the organ, a process which involves making sure all 5,000 pipes play the correct note, pitch and volume.

The project has also included creating a new music library underneath the organ, behind the Pulpitum – known as the Kings’ Screen – the 15^th century stone screen which separates the Minster’s Quire from the Nave.

The organ will be dedicated by the Archbishop of York at an Evensong service on Easter Day (Sunday 4 April) and a programme of events to celebrate the organ’s return will be announced later this year.

We are currently livestreaming our Sunday services at 11am and 4pm each week via our WHAT’S ON page and will reopen for public and private worship from Sunday 14 March.

York Minster to reopen for worship from Sunday 14 March

Tickets for Sunday services are available to book here.

York Minster will reopen for worship and private prayer on Sunday 14^th March, the first public services to be held at the cathedral since the third period of lockdown in January.  Daily services and private prayer will resume on Monday 15^th March.

Commenting on the announcement, Canon Victoria Johnson, the cathedral’s Precentor said:

“There is an immense sense of anticipation and joy at the prospect of welcoming people to York Minster once more for prayer and reflection and to experience the presence of God in this special place.

“We will have to operate with restrictions for some considerable period of time so our services will continue to be available via livestream and digital formats for those unable to join us in person.”

In line with government and Church of England guidance, a number of precautions will be in place to help keep visitors and staff safe.  These include limiting the number of people allowed inside, reduced seating and a one-way system to allow people to physically distance from one another, hand sanitizer points, additional cleaning measures and staff and clergy wearing face masks and visors to welcome visitors.

Worshippers attending public services will also be asked to leave their name and contact details to assist with the NHS Test and Trace programme, in line with government guidance.

In this initial phase of re-opening, only 75 places will be available for the main Sunday services. Admission will be via online booked ticket only.

From 14^th March, the pattern for Sunday services will be:

8am                             BCP Communion (Lady Chapel)

10am                           Matins (said or sung) 40 people in the Quire until further notice

11am                           Choral Eucharist

3.15 – 3.45pm             Private Prayer

4pm                             Choral Evensong.

From 15^th March, the pattern of daily worship from Monday – Saturday will be:

Daily:

7.30am                        Morning Prayer

7.50am                        Holy Communion

3.00pm                        Private Prayer

4.00pm                        Evening Prayer.

Admission for the main Sunday services will be by pre-booked online tickets only. Online booking for Sunday services starting on 14^th March will open on Monday 8^th March.  For further information visit www.yorkminster.org/whats-on.

Prayers for Dr Richard Shephard MBE

Prayers were said at York Minster today for Dr Richard Shephard, Lay Canon, former Head Master of The Minster School and distinguished composer of Church Music, who died yesterday.

Speaking to York Minster Community’s on the 10am Zoom service this morning, The Revd Michael Smith, Canon Pastor at York Minster said: “I am sorry to say that Richard Shephard, who most of you will know, died yesterday. He had been very ill for some time. He has been a part of the Minster Community for well over 30 years. He was Headmaster of the Minster School for many years, then he worked for the York Minster Fund and helped to raise well over £10,000,000 for the Great East Window amongst much else. He has sung in the choir and was Chamberlain for many years helping to lead Choral Evensong each day. In recent years he has been a member of Chapter.

“He was also a prolific composer of church music and is internationally renowned for that. He loved York Minster, his home is covered with paintings of it he collected over many years. We will miss him. We surround him with our love and prayers today and give thanks for his creativity, loyalty, friendship, humour and humanity.”

The Dean of York, the Right Reverend Dr Jonathan Frost led prayers for Dr Shephard at the 11am livestreamed service and there will also be prayers for Richard during the Evensong service which will also be livestreamed from 4pm this afternoon.

Journey through Lent with York Minster

York Minster today announced its programme of online worship for Lent, the period in the Church calendar leading to Holy Week and Easter, the most important festival for Christians around the world.

The season of Lent begins on Ash Wednesday (17 February).  Explaining the significance of Lent, Canon Vicky Johnson, Precentor at York Minster said:  “During this season of penitence and prayer, Christian people the world over prepare to enter into one of the most dramatic and engaging stories ever told. Every year, we participate in this story through prayer, fasting, sacrificial giving and study. We journey with Jesus as he is tempted in the wilderness and begins his public ministry which opens up to those who follow him a new way of living.”

Commenting on the cathedral’s approach to Lent this year, Vicky said:  “This time of preparation will be observed in new as well as in traditional ways.  There will be online worship, music and stillness, prayer and study. Through it all we will explore what it means to live Christ’s story.  Wherever you are on your journey of faith, we hope you will live out this story with us. All are welcome.”

Join York Minster’s Journey through Lent online

A Service for Ash Wednesday (online only)
12 noon on Wednesday 17 February
Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of the season of Lent, when Christians traditionally reflect on their mortality and all those things which distance us from God. In this penitential service there will be an opportunity to reflect on our own journey of faith and how we might each turn away from sin and be faithful to Christ in our daily living.
This service will be available via livestream and people will be able to watch again throughout the day.  Access the livestream here.

Sunday Sermon Series for Lent – ‘Living Christ’s Story’
During our livestreamed worship on Sundays through Lent, the Cathedral Clergy will reflect on the theme of ‘Living Christ’s Story’. Access all of these livestreams here.

11 am – Livestreamed Choral Eucharist, Sunday mornings throughout Lent
Every Sunday during Lent at the 11am Eucharist, a member of the Cathedral clergy will reflect on a different aspect of the Christian life and how we as a Community can engage and deepen in our response to the call to Prayer, Service, Stewardship and Hospitality as we seek to live Christ’s story. The Services will be sung by the Choir of York Minster.

Sunday 21 February               Revd Catriona Cumming on Prayer
Sunday 28 February               Canon Maggie McLean on Service
Sunday 7 March                      Canon Victoria Johnson on Stewardship
Sunday 14 March                   Canon Michael Smith on Hospitality
Sunday 21 March                   Rt Revd Jonathan Frost (Dean), on Living Christ’s Story.

Livestreamed Choral Evensong with Reflections
4pm – Sunday Evenings during Lent

During our livestreamed service of Choral Evensong each Sunday, the Cathedral Clergy will reflect more personally on what it means to them to live Christ’s story and in so doing, help us all reflect on our own journey with Christ.

Sunday 21 February               Revd Abigail Davison, Cathedral Curate
Sunday 28 February               Revd Catriona Cumming, Succentor
Sunday 7 March                      Canon Michael Smith, Pastor
Sunday 14 March                   Canon Maggie McLean, Missioner
Sunday 21 March                   Canon Victoria Johnson, Precentor

Stations of the Cross (online)
From Friday 26 March until Easter Day, Sunday 4 April.
Released each day at 12noon (excluding Holy Saturday)

The Stations of the Cross originated when early Christians visited Jerusalem hoping to follow in the footsteps of Jesus, tracing the path from Pilate’s house to Calvary. They would pause for prayer and devotion at various points. Eventually those pilgrims brought the practice back to their home countries and ever since, Christians of differing traditions have used this form of devotion. This year we make our pilgrimage online. We use stations created by students from St Peter’s School, York. Each station will be accompanied by a Bible reading, a piece of music, a short reflection, and a prayer.

Access Stations of the Cross here. The stations will also be released on our social media channels.

Further resources for Lent

To further explore the theme of Living’s Christ’s story, this year we recommend the Archbishop of Canterbury’s Lent Book for personal reflection and study. Living His Story: Sharing the extraordinary love of God in ordinary ways by Hannah Steele (SPCK).
There are further Church of England Resources including apps, study guides and telephone based resources available to accompany us on our journey through Lent encouraging all Christians to think about their calling, how to share their faith and reflect on the difference Christ makes in their lives.
Visit www.churchofengland.org and follow #LiveLent on social media for further details.

York Minster is currently closed for public and private worship and sightseeing in response to the Coronavirus pandemic. To join our worship online visit www.yorkminster.org/whats-on.

York Minster’s commemoration for Holocaust Memorial Day 2021

‘Be the light in the darkness’

York Minster will release a short video on 27 January, featuring the Star of David lit in candles on the floor of the cathedral’s ancient Chapter House to mark Holocaust Memorial Day.

Filmed by Canon Maggie McLean, York Minster’s Canon Missioner, the un-narrated video focuses on the candlelight and the stillness of the Chapter House to explore the theme for this year’s events:  ‘Be the light in the darkness’ with written material taken from the resources provided by www.hmd.org.uk. The video is accompanied by a musical reflection composed and played by Benjamin Morris, Assistant Director of Music at York Minster.

York will mark the day with a special online event – the York Holocaust Memorial Day Civic Event. Presented by the York Holocaust Memorial Day Steering Group, the University of York and City of York Council and hosted by the Lord Mayor of York, Cllr Janet Looker and the Vice-Chancellor of the University of York Professor Charlie Jeffery, the free event will include talks and films reflecting on the forces that have triggered genocides and the courage of the individuals and communities that oppose and resist genocide past and present.

The speakers will include the Archbishop of York, Stephen Cottrell and Student Rabbi Gabriel Kanter-Webber and there will be a keynote speech by author Ariana Neumann who will reflect on the memoir When Time Stopped, which describes her father’s extraordinary escape from Nazi-occupied Prague.

Commenting on the event, Archbishop Stephen said:

“I’m humbled and honoured to be part of this Holocaust memorial event.  In remembering these horrors and the millions of Jewish people – and others besides – who were slaughtered in the death camps of a wicked and godless regime, we commit ourselves, here in this city of sanctuary and in our nation, to building a world where these horrors are never repeated.

“We do this, first of all, by the very act of remembering: by looking – painful and distressing though it is – at the human capacity for evil, and the terrible ways we divide ourselves against one another, on grounds of nation, ethnicity and religion, and particularly the way throughout history that Jewish people have been stigmatised and persecuted.

“We also remember that each of those who died was a beloved mother, father, son, daughter – someone with whom we share a common humanity and with whom, for the sake of their memory and for the building of a better world of justice and inclusion, commit ourselves to change.”

The Holocaust Memorial Trust is also encouraging people to light a candle and place it safely in their windows at 8pm on Holocaust Memorial Day to remember everyone murdered in genocidal events and to stand against prejudice and hatred today.

York Minster’s short video for Holocaust Memorial Day will be available from Wednesday 27 January here.

The York Holocaust Memorial Day Civic Event Online will take place on Wednesday 27 January from 7pm to 8.15pm online. To book your ticket, please visit york.ac.uk/news-and-events/events/public-lectures.

The Holocaust Memorial Day Trust’s social media campaign #LightTheDarkness and #HolocaustMemorialDay will run throughout 27 January.  For more information, visit hmd.org.uk. Twitter: @HMD_UK