York Minster’s Season of Remembrance

This year’s Season of Remembrance at York Minster will help us to engage with the extraordinary power of love, the grief and pain of bereavement and the opportunity to honour and to pay our respects to those who have died in past conflicts.

The Revd Michael Smith, Canon Pastor at York Minster said:  “All of us carry in our hearts the memory of relatives, friends, colleagues and acquaintances who have died leaving us bereft. In addition to those who died as a direct result of Covid-19, others died without contact with loved ones and often without the funerals and memorial services they deserved, leaving many with unresolved grief.

“We are providing a safe place for people to grieve, to remember, to honour and to pray for all their loved ones who have died, whether they died years ago or in recent months. We hope that people will come for worship and services or simply just come to the Minster to sit, reflect, pray or to light a candle in memory of their loved ones.”

York Minster’s events and services for the Season of Remembrance are as follows:

Saturday 16 October – Friday 12 November
People We Love

A commission by York Mediale from creative collective KMA, ‘People We Love’, returns to York Minster for a second year.  The piece features five, floor mounted, high definition screens in the Nave that will each show video portraits of a York local, looking at a picture of someone they love.  After over a year of being kept at a distance from family and friends, it’s a poignant reminder of how precious love, and those loved, are.

Originally commissioned for the 2020 York Mediale festival, ‘People We Love’ was open for just three days before the national lockdown in November 2020. Refreshed for 2021 with new subjects, the emotive installation watches those involved as they reflect, remember and are reminded of a loved one.

Sunday 31 October – 4pm
Solemn Evensong for the Eve of All Saints

All Saints Day (1^st November), is the day when Christians remember all those Saints, known and unknown, who have gone before us in faith and inspired the church over many generations. In this uplifting service of Choral Evensong, we anticipate the festival of All Saints, when we give thanks for those who have been shining examples and lived out their love of Jesus Christ in word and deed. The Preacher is the Canon Precentor, Victoria Johnson with music by the Songmen and Choral Scholars of the Choir of York Minster.

Monday 1 November – 5.30pm
Solemn Eucharist for the Feast of All Saints Day

We celebrate all the Saints in light and join in with the worship of heaven in this jubilant service with music from the Songmen and Choral Scholars of the Choir of York Minster.

Tuesday 2 November – 9.30am – 4pm
Day to Remember Those Who Have Died

All Souls’ Day (2 November), is the day when Christians remember the departed. A space will be created inside York Minster for people to sit quietly, to reflect, to pray and to light a candle for their loved ones. Minster Chaplains will be available throughout the day alongside members of the St Leonard’s Hospice Bereavement Support team.  The St Leonard’s team will be on hand to talk and to provide bereavement support to anyone who needs it.  Entry is free for all (the Minster will be closed for sightseeing visits).

Tuesday 2 November – 5.30pm
Requiem Eucharist for All Souls’ Day

The annual Requiem Eucharist for All Souls’ Day, at which we remember loved ones who have died, will take place at 5.30pm. The Preacher will be the Canon Pastor, Michael Smith, with music by the Songmen and Choral Scholars of the Choir of York Minster.

Thursday 11 November – 11am
National Two Minutes’ Silence for Armistice Day

At just before 11am, York Minster will come to a standstill as prayers are said for all those who made the ultimate sacrifice on behalf of their country in the First and Second World Wars and in subsequent conflicts since.  Great Peter will toll eleven times at 11am followed by the National Two Minutes’ Silence.

Sunday 14 November – 10.30am
Annual Service of Thanksgiving and Commemoration for Remembrance Sunday

The Dean of York will preach at this annual service of Thanksgiving and Commemoration for Remembrance Sunday which will include music by the Choir of York Minster, hymns, readings, prayers and an Act of Remembrance at 11am in unison with the commemorations across the city, when Great Peter will toll eleven times followed by the Two Minute’s Silence. All are welcome.

Sunday 14 November – 4pm
Requiem Eucharist for Remembrance Sunday
To conclude the commemorations on Remembrance Sunday, the Choir of York Minster perform Faure’s Requiem as part of a moving and contemplative service of Holy Communion.

A service of Evensong with the Enthronement of the Archbishop of York

The Most Reverend Stephen Cottrell, will be enthroned as the 98^th Archbishop of York at a service of Evensong at 4pm on Sunday 18 October at York Minster.

The Enthronement will take place on the Feast day of St Luke, Apostle and Evangelist. Choral Evensong, one of the Church of England’s fastest growing services, is often considered a jewel in the crown of Anglican worship. Much of the service will be sung by the adult singers of the Minster Choir and there will be readings, music and prayers. Elements of the service will be based on previous historic enthronements and Archbishop Stephen will take his oath on the York Gospels.

This is a ticketed service and will be held under careful Government and Church of England Covid19 secure guidelines, with strict limits on the numbers attending.

The service will be streamed via York Minster’s and the Church of England’s national social media channels making it possible for communities across the Diocese of York, the Northern Province and the worldwide household of the Christian Church to experience the occasion in real time.

Stephen was confirmed as Archbishop of York on 9 July 2020, in a Confirmation of Election service broadcast entirely via video conference.  He walked as a pilgrim through the city of York, praying first at the shrine of St Margaret Clitherow and then at the tomb of St William of York in the crypt of York Minster, before taking up the historic Braganza Crozier – his staff of office – from the cathedral’s High Altar.

Archbishop Stephen had previously expressed hope that an improvement in the pandemic might enable a large public enthronement service to be held at York Minster.  However, three months into his role and with the country still on high alert, Archbishop Stephen is completing the final stage of becoming an Archbishop, taking up his seat in the Cathedral and Metropolitical Church of St Peter in York, in a simple service of Evensong.

Archbishop Stephen said: “I am delighted and humbled to be the 98th Archbishop of York. I have begun my ministry at a time of huge hardship and challenge and at the moment Covid19 is having a particularly devastating impact in the north. We don’t know how long the current restrictions will be in place. However, the worship and work of the church goes on bringing much needed hope, relief and practical help to the communities we serve. I am hugely thankful for the tenacity and creativity of our churches. I pray daily that we make Jesus known to all whom we meet, even if it is via Zoom! I pledge to give my best powers of wit, energy and creativity so that we may become a more Christ-centred and Jesus shaped Church, witnessing to Christ and bringing the healing balm of the Gospel to our nation.”

The Dean of York, The Right Revd Dr Jonathan Frost, said that even in a reduced format, Archbishop Stephen’s enthronement will be both moving and significant.  Jonathan said:

“Archbishop Stephen’s arrival has, like everything else in our lives at the moment, been affected by the constraints of the pandemic.  So we are doing traditional things in new ways and we are learning to take this perspective into every part of our life.  Archbishop Stephen radiates the joy, light and Good News of Christ wherever he goes. I’m quite sure it will be a wonderful occasion.”

Commenting on the enthronement, The Archbishop of Canterbury, The Most Revd Justin Welby said:

“As Archbishop Stephen takes his oath on the York Gospels, he will be placing his hand over gospels that have survived over a thousand years, including through many times of struggle and suffering. It is this same Gospel that the Church is being called to live out and proclaim today. We are to follow Jesus to the side of those who weep, and weep with them. We are to come alongside those who mourn, and comfort them. Most importantly we are being called to keep alive in our hearts the hope and light of Christ, which no darkness can overcome – and to be bearers of that light in our nation and our world today.

“Even in these times of pain and struggle, it is a great joy for the Church to welcome Archbishop Stephen into his new ministry. He is a wise, courageous and faithful servant of Jesus Christ who will be a blessing to the north of England and the Nation. Archbishop Stephen and his family will be very much in my prayers as he prepares to be enthroned at York Minster.”

Because of the major organ work being carried out in the Quire, Archbishop Stephen will use the historic Garbett Throne, situated in the Nave of York Minster, for this enthronement. The Episcopal Throne was designed by Sir Albert Richardson in memory of Archbishop Cyril Garbett (Archbishop of York, 1942-1955) and has been used as the Nave seat of the Archbishop of York since 1959. The inscription on the throne reads Vos non elegistis me sed ego elegi vos, “Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you”, Christ’s words to His first apostles. Archbishop Stephen will deliver his first public sermon from his seat in the Cathedral and inaugurate his ministry of teaching and mission.

The following prayer will be said for Archbishop Stephen:

“Almighty and most merciful God, you have poured down your gifts upon us, making some apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers for the building up of your church here on earth. We pray for your servant Stephen, that by your grace, he may be ready to share the good news of the gospel, and with humility and wisdom use his authority to draw others to the way of Christ, through the same Jesus Christ, who is the same, yesterday, today and forever, Amen.”

Watch the service HERE