Chester Cathedral

The Cathedral Church of Christ and the Blessed Virgin Mary at Chester is a living symbol of continuous progress combined with constancy of purpose. For the worship and service of God have been offered on its site for over one thousand years; yet, over the centuries, no less than three different buildings have sheltered these primary tasks. The story of Chester Cathedral can be traced back to the time of the Saxon Minster, which in 907 housed the remains of St Werburgh. During the period from 1092 to 1540 the Benedictine Abbey of St Werburgh flourished on the same ground. The story continues with the foundation of a Cathedral for Chester Diocese by Henry VIII in 1541, and on to the present day. As a result, the current building contains materials belonging to every Christian century since the tenth.

Chester Cathedral is a remarkable building, both historically and architecturally - it is much more than just a repository of the past. It is a living church, encompassing many activities within its dynamic and diverse ministery.

Prayer and worship form the heart-beat of Chester Cathedral's life today, as they did in the Saxon, Norman and Medieval periods. The Benedictine monks of Chester were committed to the so-called opus Dei, the work of God. This involved attendance at seven offices, each day, beginning with Matins just after midnight, running through to Compline in the evening. Today the discipline of prayer continues, with regular daily services of Holy Communion, and Matins and Evensong. In addition, many people find peace and solace by coming into the Cathedral, and by using one of the Chapels for private prayer and contemplation. Others find support by talking over their problems with resident clergy or one of the duty Chaplains.

The music department in Chester is very strong, and the excellence of the choir in the superb setting of this Cathedral makes Choral Evensong, in particular, incomparable. There is no choir school at Chester, so the choristers are drawn from a number of local schools.

General Information:

• GuidePort audio tour in entrance price
• Guided tours by trained guides available
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