This Service, with its resonant and beautiful words, typifies the English Cathedral tradition of choral worship. Most of the singing is done by the Choir, the congregation participating through a prayerful listening. The Service consists of psalms, readings from the bible, an anthem, and prayers for the world and the church and for those in need.

When the Cathedral Choirs are on holiday Evensong may be sung by a Visiting Choir, or else it is replaced by a said service of Evening Prayer.

The heart of Morning Prayer is the saying of the psalms and listening to two readings from scripture. Here, at the beginning of the day, we begin by relating our lives to God and holding the needs of others in our prayers. Morning Prayer is followed immediately by a said service of Holy Communion.

Whether said or sung, the Eucharist is the central act of Christian worship and reveals the heart of the Christian faith. On the night before he died, Jesus of Nazareth met with his disciples in an upper room in Jerusalem to celebrate the Jewish Passover.

At this meal he took bread, broke it and said 'This is my Body'. He took a cup of wine and said 'This is my blood - the blood of a new covenant of forgiveness'. He shared the bread and the wine with his disciples, and told them 'do this in remembrance of me'.

Whenever his followers gather to do as he said we are caught up again in the events of the last week of his earthly life and he lives amongst us as we receive his gifts.

The word Eucharist means thanksgiving. It is an act of celebration in which the very life of God is given to us in bread broken and wine outpoured. And receiving this life week by week, ordinary frail and fragile beings are strengthened as members of the Body of Christ, a community called to serve God in the world.

On Sundays and Major Feast days, the Eucharist is sung by one of the Cathedral Choirs using settings from the sixteenth century polyphony to modern works by living composers. At all Communion Services everyone who has been baptised is welcome to receive Holy Communion; otherwise a personal blessing may be received. The Ministry of Laying on of Hands with Prayer for Healing is offered as part of the Sunday Sung Eucharist, and occasionally there may be a Baptism.

The Eucharist is celebrated every morning at 8.15am (8am Sundays) and every Thursday and on Saints Days at 12.10pm.

Whether said or sung, the Eucharist is the central act of Christian worship and reveals the heart of the Christian faith. On the night before he died, Jesus of Nazareth met with his disciples in an upper room in Jerusalem to celebrate the Jewish Passover.

At this meal he took bread, broke it and said 'This is my Body'. He took a cup of wine and said 'This is my blood - the blood of a new covenant of forgiveness'. He shared the bread and the wine with his disciples, and told them 'do this in remembrance of me'.

Whenever his followers gather to do as he said we are caught up again in the events of the last week of his earthly life and he lives amongst us as we receive his gifts.

The word Eucharist means thanksgiving. It is an act of celebration in which the very life of God is given to us in bread broken and wine outpoured. And receiving this life week by week, ordinary frail and fragile beings are strengthened as members of the Body of Christ, a community called to serve God in the world.

On Sundays and Major Feast days, the Eucharist is sung by one of the Cathedral Choirs using settings from the sixteenth century polyphony to modern works by living composers. At all Communion Services everyone who has been baptised is welcome to receive Holy Communion; otherwise a personal blessing may be received. The Ministry of Laying on of Hands with Prayer for Healing is offered as part of the Sunday Sung Eucharist, and occasionally there may be a Baptism.

Choral Evensong

Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of the season of Lent. It gets its name from the practice of ‘ashing’: marking the forehead of each worshipper with the sign of the cross in ash, as a remembrance of our mortality, while the priest says to each person, ‘Remember that you are dust and to dust you shall return.’

Music includes Lassus’ setting of Miserere Mei.

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The ancient monastic office of Compline derives its name from a Latin word meaning ‘completion’. It offers a period of reflective quiet before rest at the end of the day but meditates also upon the end of life.

This candlelit service is sung by a gathered choir who lead the responses, psalms and sing two anthems. The service lasts about 30 minutes.

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The Taizé community is an ecumenical monastic order in Taizé, Saône-et-Loire, Burgundy, France. The community searches for communion with God through community prayer, song, silence, personal reflection and sharing.

The music of Taizé is based on simple sentences from the psalms or from scripture often sung in canon, and in many languages. Services based on this model and using the music of Taizé are held in churches of all denominations around the world.

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We gather on Palace Green to hear the Gospel of the Palms, and to follow our Lord not only in procession but in heart and mind as he enters Jerusalem in royal humility to face his death.

Music includes Gibbons’ setting of Hosanna to the Son of David.

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The Revd Dr Stephen Hampton will preach his first address.

We hear Owain Park’s setting of Vinea mea electa.

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A traditional reflection on the events of Holy Week through the ‘Stations’ or scenes from the Passion of Jesus on his way to Crucifixion on Calvary.

Each station is marked by an image, reflection and music as we mark the searing events of this week.

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The Façade Ensemble present a liturgical performance of Passio, Arvo Pärt’s extraordinary treatment of the Johannine Passion narrative for soloists, choir, and instrumental ensemble.

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With the Blessing of Oils and Renewing of Ordination Vows.

President and Preacher: The Bishop of Huntingdon.

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With Washing of Feet, Stripping of the Altar and Watch of the Passion.

We commemorate Jesus’ institution of the Eucharist, the night before his death, where bread and wine are named as his body broken and his blood shed for humanity, to restore a people impoverished by sin and mortality into the endless life of God.

The president washes the feet of the people to remind us that, like our Lord, our calling is to serve others. The Revd Dr Stephen Hampton will preach the sermon.

At the end of the Eucharist we hear the Gospel narrative of Jesus’ arrest, and the altar is stripped; its richness and beauty vanishes, to be replaced by darkness, emptiness, and disarray.

We maintain a prayer vigil, a Watch in St Dunstan’s Chapel, remembering Jesus’ agony in the Garden of Gethsemane.

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Midday until c.1.15pm - Preaching of the Cross
Addresses are given by the Revd Dr Stephen Hampton, with hymns and readings.

1.30pm - 3pm - The Liturgy of the Day
With the singing of the Passion Gospel and Improperia by Victoria, and the Veneration of the Cross, in which all are invited to participate.

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A solemn act of worship. Music includes Sanders’ setting of The Reproaches.

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Preacher: The Revd Dr Stephen Hampton

Out of the darkness and sorrow of human violence emerges the light and life of God’s presence: in the risen Jesus; in God’s enduring promise to be with his people; in the transforming sacrament of baptism.

This is the first celebration of Easter, with the lighting of the New Fire and the Paschal Candle and the bringing of that resurrection light into a darkened church, the admission of new Christians to baptism and communion, and the rising of light, joy, colour and life for the first time since the events of Good Friday.

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President and Preacher: The Bishop of Huntingdon

A joyful celebration of the risen life of God’s people upon Jesus’ resurrection from the dead. Music includes the Messe
Solennelle by Langlais.

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An Orchestral Evensong including music by Stanford, Haydn and Mascagni.

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