The Cathedral was awash with royalty last week for the children’s Epiphany Service. I lost count after eighty kings and 28 gold bars. Just imagine if the bars were real –all our problems would be solved. But then I could be accused of missing the whole point of the symbolism of the gifts brought by the Magi. I heard one little 4 year old say to his gran as they were going out, “Which one was the real king?” He will probably be a theologian or a philosopher when he grows up. Thanks to all who helped with this service.
This week we have had a few visitors in Cathedral House from Cologne Cathedral who came over for the Epiphany Service and the official launch of the Year of Culture. The Dean of Cologne Catholic Cathedral looked quite resplendent in his choir robes. It is not often you see a biretta in use these days and it provoked such comments as ‘What is that on your head?’ which I found difficult to translate into German. But I think the inquisitive look and pointing was enough. The relationship with our twin city of Cologne has developed over the years principally through church and ecumenical contacts. Later in the year Choirs from the two Cathedrals in Liverpool and also from Cologne Cathedral will be joining forces with the Philharmonic Orchestra for the performance of Britten’s War Requiem. This will be performed in both cities, further cementing our joint co-operation, and will be one of the highlights of the concert programme in 2008.
Following the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord this weekend we have a few weeks of ‘Ordinary Time’ before the start of the season of Lent – which is very early this year. That doesn’t mean that things will be any quieter during this period. In a fortnights time we will be welcoming the Archbishop of Canterbury here, Dr Rowan Williams, who will be preaching at a shared Ecumenical Evening Prayer to mark the end of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. I’m not sure when an Archbishop of Canterbury last visited or preached in our Cathedral, if ever, and I suspect there will be a full Cathedral at 5.00pm on Sunday 27th. The Archbishop will also be giving a lecture in Liverpool Cathedral on Saturday evening and attending the Holocaust Memorial Service in the Philharmonic Hall earlier on that Sunday afternoon. Also that Sunday, to mark the fact that the National Holocaust Memorial Service will be held in Liverpool, the BBC radio 4 service will be recorded live from Liverpool Cathedral. The service will be led jointly by both Deans and will be based on the themes of Remembering, Reflecting and Reacting. It will be a short 50 minute service beginning at 8.10am if you wish to join us for this. Sadly there are still situations where there is inhumanity and genocide in the world today and this will be an opportunity for Christian reflection for reconciliation and praying for peace.
Epiphany Service and the official launch of the Year of Culture. The Dean of Cologne Catholic Cathedral looked quite resplendent in his choir robes. It is not often you see a biretta in use these days and it provoked such comments as ‘What is that on your head?’ which I found difficult to translate into German. But I think the inquisitive look and pointing was enough. The relationship with our twin city of Cologne has developed over the years principally through church and ecumenical contacts. Later in the year Choirs from the two Cathedrals in Liverpool and also from Cologne Cathedral will be joining forces with the Philharmonic Orchestra for the performance of Britten’s War Requiem. This will be performed in both cities, further cementing our joint co-operation, and will be one of the highlights of the concert programme in 2008.
Following the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord this weekend we have a few weeks of ‘Ordinary Time’ before the start of the season of Lent – which is very early this year. That doesn’t mean that things will be any quieter during this period. In a fortnights time we will be welcoming the Archbishop of Canterbury here, Dr Rowan Williams, who will be preaching at a shared Ecumenical Evening Prayer to mark the end of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. I’m not sure when an Archbishop of Canterbury last visited or preached in our Cathedral, if ever, and I suspect there will be a full Cathedral at 5.00pm on Sunday 27th. The Archbishop will also be giving a lecture in Liverpool Cathedral on Saturday evening and attending the Holocaust Memorial Service in the Philharmonic Hall earlier on that Sunday afternoon. Also that Sunday, to mark the fact that the National Holocaust Memorial Service will be held in Liverpool, the BBC radio 4 service will be recorded live from Liverpool Cathedral. The service will be led jointly by both Deans and will be based on the themes of Remembering, Reflecting and Reacting. It will be a short 50 minute service beginning at 8.10am if you wish to join us for this. Sadly there are still situations where there is inhumanity and genocide in the world today and this will be an opportunity for Christian reflection for reconciliation and praying for peace.