On Monday 9 July 1984 lightning struck York Minster’s South Transept.

Fire destroyed the roof and caused the Rose Window to crack in approximately 40,000 places. Skilled craftspeople undertook a four-year restoration project, returning the transept to its former glory.

“The floor was a couple of feet deep in smouldering wood, which suddenly rekindled into flame. [Then the] hoses go back to work.”

– Yorkshire Evening Post

After just two days fallen debris and timbers were cleared from the South Transept. Two weeks later torrential rain fell and flooded the transept once again. Another clean-up operation began and fortunately, after another week, the temporary roof was in place.

God the source of all renewal, as we continue to see loss and destruction across our globe give us your strength to work towards a rebuilding and repairing of all that is broken.

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