The Cathedral Church
of the Holy and Indivisible Trinity
This is a beautiful building, undergoing some significant renovation like many of the Cathedrals we saw.
The welcome leaflet describes it as
'roughly half as old as Christianity'
and emphasises its purpose as
'a sacred space,
a place of discovery and education,
a place of meeting and hospitality.'
The Cathedral was busy when we arrived, hosting a Marines Band/ Military Wives choir concert that evening. We were not greeted or asked for a £5 donation, but had come to attend Evensong, which was introduced beautifully and reflectively by the service booklet.
The acoustic was wonderful and the choir took advantage of it. We were really privileged to hear as the anthem Ivor Gurney's setting of Robert Bridge's poem 'Since I believe in God the Father' and this was introduced with a reflection on Gurney's troubled life yet tenacious faith.
Three clergy took part in this service which had a warm and friendly feel. Again, we were reminded of the Novena, and again visitors were prayed for.
There's a lot of special stained glass here and in fact Tom Denny has been commissioned to design a window to commemorate Ivor Gurney. We loved the Tom Denny windows already in the Cathedral; his complex and beautiful designs in the Chapel of St Thomas are twenty years old but seem fresh and innovative today...
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