Closure of Cathedral to Visitors During Special Services

With a number of special services taking place in the Cathedral over the next few weeks, we regret that the Cathedral will be closed to visitors for the following occasions:

Saturday 22 June, 10.30am - 12.00noon
Armed Forces Day Service

Saturday 29 June, 5.30 - 7.30pm
Eucharist with the Ordination of Priests

Sunday 30 June, 10.30am - 12.00noon
Eucharist with the Ordination of Deacons

Limited seating will be available at these services for those who wish to attend. For the ordination services, we ask that you be seated by 5.00pm on Saturday 29 June, or 10.00am on Sunday 30 June.

Click here for all upcoming special services and events

Vacancy for a Richard III Project Assistant

Are you interested in the story of The King in the Car Park? Would you like to be part of the team taking it on to the next stage of a fitting reinterment in our Cathedral? Can you turn your hand to project management, communications, and anything else we might ask?

The Cathedral Chapter is looking to appoint a Richard III Project Assistant. The post is a full-time temporary role for a period of 12 months. (35 hours per week to be worked over the full 7-day week, with no overtime but time off in lieu).

Salary £13,000 per annum.

Applications are welcome from individuals who are interested in supporting this exciting project who can bring appropriate office skills, and good A-level passes in relevant subjects. Previous experience in events planning and working with social media will be essential and experience of working in a church environment would also be advantageous.

An application pack is available from: Julia Unna, PA to the Residentiary Canons and Acting Canon Missioner. E: julia.unna@leccofe.org T: 0116 261 5362.

The closing date for applications is noon Monday 24 June. Interviews will be held on Tuesday 2 July.

The White Roses Bloom in Leicestershire

To mark the discovery of the burial place of Richard III, Leicester Cathedral is running a competition in association with Coles Nurseries to find the Loveliest Leicestershire White Rose.

The competition is open to rose growers living in Leicestershire and to gardeners amateur or professional in the city and county. Entries do not have to be new strains of white roses, as the judges will be looking for the most perfect specimen.

The deadline for entries and judging date will be 6 July 2013 which is also the anniversary of the coronation of Richard III in 1483. The prize will be £100 in Coles vouchers and the winner will also be a guest of honour at the simple anniversary service which will be held on 22 August 2013. This year, the winning bloom will be displayed at the memorial stone to King Richard.

The judging panel will include James Coles (Coles Nurseries), Barry Naylor (Urban Canon and Sub-Dean), the Bishop of Leicester, and one of BBC Radio Leicester's gardening programme experts, Josie Hutchinson.

Barry Naylor, Urban Canon, said: "Leicester Cathedral is delighted to support an initiative that reflects the considerable public interest in Richard III. We hope this will encourage many people to get out into their gardens and to grow a bloom fit for a King."

Bishop Tim, Bishop of Leicester, said: "The white rose which was such a potent symbol in the War of the Roses now becomes a sign of our unity and of our desire for peace as we prepare to lay King Richard III to rest."

James Coles, Managing Director of Coles Nurseries, said: "As a family business with strong connections to Leicester Cathedral and Leicestershire, we are thrilled to be associated with this competition as we take our first steps in our Centenary Year. As a major supplier of trees, shrubs and roses to markets across the country, we await with interest the rose that befits a King of England."

For an application form, please contact claire.recordon@leccofe.org or call 0116 261 5368.

Click here to view the Competition Guidelines and Entry Form

Cathedral to Mark the Coronation of HM the Queen

Leicester Cathedral invites all the citizens of the city and county to join in a celebration of the 60th anniversary of Her Majesty's Coronation with a service of thanksgiving to be held at 4.00pm on Sunday 16 June 2013, in the presence of Her Majesty's Lord-Lieutenant of Leicestershire, Jennifer, Lady Gretton. The Bishop of Leicester will preach. The choir will consist of the Leicester Cathedral Choristers and Songmen, the Burton Choristers of the Loughborough Endowed Schools and the Cincinnati Boychoir, who will sing Hubert Parry's "I was glad", which is traditionally sung at the coronation of British monarchs.

The following Coronation Anniversary Prayer will be included as part of the service, written by Westminster Abbey with the Queen's approval:

Almighty God,
who through anointing with the oil of gladness at the hands of priests and prophets
dost strengthen thy chosen servants with the gifts of thy Holy Spirit:
be pleased to accept our joyful praise as with united voice
we give thanks for the long and glorious reign
of our Sovereign Lady Queen Elizabeth;
and to receive our humble prayer that, by renewing thy blessings,
thou wilt pour upon her thy choicest gifts,
and upon all thy people the spirit of humility and service,
shown forth in the life and death of him who is the anointed King of all,
our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ.
Amen.

David Monteith Installed as New Dean of Leicester

The Very Revd David Monteith was installed as Dean of Leicester at a service of installation and celebration at Leicester Cathedral on Saturday 18th May. 

As Dean of Leicester, David will have oversight and leadership of the Cathedral, the mother church of the Diocese which spans the city of Leicester and county of Leicestershire. The Cathedral is increasingly seen as a key institution in the life of the city and county, and David has indicated his desire for the Cathedral to lie at the heart of the civil and religious life of Leicestershire, offering generous hospitality and an imaginative witness to God’s love at the heart of our community. One of the first activities for David on taking up this new role will be to visit the offices and distribution centre of FareShare, one of the charities which the Cathedral and Diocese supports, to see the progress made towards helping the many who are short of food within our community at this time of welfare cuts and economic challenge. Perhaps the highest priority for David on taking up the role of Dean will be the planning of the events for the re-interment of King Richard III.

David Monteith knows Leicester well, as he has been part of the Cathedral for four years, having previously been the Canon Chancellor with responsibility for the pastoral and educational life of the Cathedral. As Dean he follows Vivienne Faull, who last year moved to be Dean of York.

During the service the Bishop of Leicester, the Rt Revd Tim Stevens, gave his charge to David, the Diocese and the Cathedral and spoke of the Cathedral’s role in connecting us to the sacred, in working for the common good, and to be a place of pilgrimage. He said: ”Cities and counties and communities need different kinds of capital. Financial, social, educational capital are all necessary to human flourishing. But this Cathedral, and every Cathedral, exists to help build spiritual capital for the city and the county. Without it, economic recovery and the longed for financial growth will prove finally disappointing”.

Welcoming David to his new role the Bishop said: “Few Deans have been installed at a time of such great change in their Cathedral. We have discerned in you the gifts and qualities this challenge requires…May God bless you and work out His vision for this Cathedral and for us all in the ministry you are about to begin.”

The service included music sung in Irish reflecting David’s native origins. A new piece written by Dr Chris Johns, Director of Music at the Cathedral was also premiered, which set a poem by Robert Herryck, who is commemorated in the Cathedral and whose family home was on the site of the Greyfriars Friary where King Richard was buried. The Bishop and the new Dean then processed out of the Cathedral led by Dhol drummers, symbolising the diverse setting of faith and culture at the heart of our Diocese.

Click here to read the sermon preached by David Monteith at his installation.

New Faces on the Cathedral Clergy Team

The day after the installation of David Monteith as the new Dean of Leicester, 3 more members of the Cathedral clergy team were licensed at the Eucharist service for Pentecost Sunday. These posts will remain in place until May 2014, by which time the appointment of a new Canon Chancellor is likely to have been made.

Pete Hobson, formerly Director of St Martins House, has been seconded to the Cathedral Team as Acting Canon Missioner.  He comes with masses of project experience and he will add considerably to our capacity and diversity, and will concentrate on Richard III, and Cathedral Gardens as well as assisting with the liturgical and preaching load.  He will also maintain an involvement with the outreach work in the south wing of St Martins House.

Alison Adams who has recently retired as Chaplain at Glen Parva was licensed as Diocese and Cathedral Social Responsibility Enabler, working 4 days per week as a Non-Stipendiary Minister, primarily working with Pete on matters relating to Richard III..  Working with the City and County on Richard III will enable her to establish lots of networks for her longer term work in Social Responsibility.

Finally, Julie Ann Heath was formally licensed as Cathedral Chaplain, to remain in post until May 2014.

New Dean of Leicester Announced

The Bishop of Leicester, The Rt Revd Tim Stevens is pleased to announce that the next Dean of Leicester will be The Revd Canon David Monteith. David is currently the Canon Chancellor of Leicester Cathedral.

- Click here to read more

Leicester Cathedral Design Brief for the Reinterment of Richard III

On 12 March Leicester Cathedral Chapter agreed the design brief to go to the architects who will be design the full scheme for the grave of King Richard lll. This brief should be read with the accompanying explanatory questions and answers. If photographs are reproduced please include the copyright information in the Appendix.

- Click here to view the design brief
- Click here to read the explanatory Questions and Answers

Electoral Roll

According to Church Representation Rules, the Cathedral is required to prepare a new Electoral Roll every six years, and the time is upon us once more.

As such, EVERYBODY who wishes to remain on the Electoral Roll MUST complete a new Electoral Roll Application Form and return it by 21 April 2013 to:

Michaela Pursglove, Deputy Cathedral Administrator
St Martins House, 7 Peacock Lane, Leicester LE1 5PZ

Click here to download a new Electoral Roll Application Form, or alternatively pick one up from the back of the Cathedral.

Leicester Cathedral Design Briefing for Reinterment of Richard III

At 12.00 noon on Wednesday 13 March Leicester Cathedral will publish the Design Brief that will be given to the architects who have been selected to provide a scheme to reinter King Richard III in an appropriate way. The date follows a meeting on 12 March at which the Cathedral Chapter will finalise the details of the brief including the recommendations of the Fabric Advisory Committee which met recently.

The document will describe the place of the Cathedral in Leicester's history and culture. It will outline some of the issues faced by the challenge of honouring a king within a space used by many people and for a variety of services, and seek a solution to ensuring visitors will be able to see the resting place while allowing prayer and worship to continue.

Canon Barry Naylor, Acting Dean of the Cathedral, is delighted we can begin the process: "It's been both a delight and a challenge to be asked to receive a king into the Cathedral. Since the announcement that he had been found thousands of people have come to see the existing memorial stone and to spend time in the Cathedral, and we know this will continue once he is reinterred. It is therefore vitally important that we take note of all aspects of Cathedral life in planning where and how Richard will be reinterred."

The Revd Mandy Ford is Chair of the Cathedral Fabric Advisory Committee: "This will be the first step in a design and consultation process which leads to receive planning approval from the Cathedrals Fabric Commission for England. We hope to complete this process as soon as possible within the next few months."

University Confirms Richard III Found

It was announced at a press conference held on Monday 4 February that DNA tests performed by the University of Leicester had confirmed without doubt that the human remains found beneath the Greyfriars car park in September 2012 are indeed those of King Richard III, the last in the line of the Plantagenet monarchs.

In a statement made at that press conference, Canon David Monteith said:

“On behalf of the Bishop and Acting Dean of Leicester, I want to say how very thrilled we are to be part of this amazing day.  We are delighted with today’s news.  We at the Cathedral and Diocese share in the pride of serving such a great city as ours which still has the capacity to reveal such incredible stories.

“We applaud the skill, expertise and excellence of Leicester University which have led to this announcement.  This has been a partnership from the start with the City Council, the University and the Richard III Society and we have been very pleased to  co-operate with all the parties involved.  I can confirm that the Cathedral have now received letters from both the City Council and Leicester University to further enact the requirements of the Licence which led to the exhumation of these human remains.

"This is a momentous day for our city and nation.  We will now formally begin preparations and plans at Leicester Cathedral for an interment.  Meanwhile we will be praying that through God’s love, King Richard III with all the departed may rest in peace and rise in glory.”