This is second step in the reopening of the Cathedral which, like all Church of England church buildings, had been closed to the public for nearly three months due to the coronavirus pandemic. The first step in reopening saw the Cathedral open for individual prayer daily from Monday 15 June.
The Dean of Norwich, the Very Revd Jane Hedges, said:
“We are delighted to be able to open Norwich Cathedral’s doors once more for public worship and are looking forward to welcoming people to our daily services from this Sunday.
“It is also wonderful news that from this weekend the Cathedral can once again be open for general visitors.
“Great care has been taken to ensure everyone’s safety, and full details about the measures being put in place are available on the Cathedral website.”
Public worship will resume on Sunday 5 July when services will take place at the following times:
- 7.30am Morning Prayer,
- 8am Holy Communion,
- 10.30am Eucharist,
- and 3.30pm Evening Prayer.
These will be said services without the Cathedral Choir as government guidelines currently advise against singing in churches.
This Sunday the Cathedral will also pay tribute to the 72nd anniversary of the NHS which was founded on 5 July 1948.
The Dean of Norwich, the Very Revd Jane Hedges, said:
“This Sunday will be a significant day in the life of the Cathedral and also for the NHS, and so we want to pay a special tribute to the country’s doctors, nurses and healthcare workers for all their hard work, dedication and compassion, especially during this most challenging of times.
“After Evening Prayer on Sunday, one of the Cathedral’s bells will be rung 72 times, once for every year of the NHS. The Cathedral’s bells will also ring at 5pm as we join the whole country in a nationwide clap to thank the NHS.”
From Sunday 5 July, the regular pattern of worship at Norwich Cathedral will be as follows:
- Sunday: 7.30am Morning Prayer, 8am Holy Communion, 10.30am Eucharist, 3.30pm Evening Prayer.
- Monday to Friday: 7.30am Morning Prayer, 8am Holy Communion, 5.30pm Evening Prayer
- Saturday: 7.30am Morning Prayer, 8am Holy Communion, 3.30pm Evening Prayer.
A number of special measures have been put in place to keep everyone safe during services. Full details are available on the Cathedral website, but these include extra hand cleaning facilities and social distancing measures, and the building being closed to general visitors while worship is taking place.
The Cathedral will also continue to publish a short weekly service on the Norwich Cathedral Services YouTube Channel throughout July.
Visitors to the Cathedral
From Sunday 5 July, general visitors and tourists will be very welcome to visit the Cathedral when public worship is not taking place. Opening times for general visitors will be Sunday 1pm-3pm, Monday to Friday 10am-4pm, and Saturday 10am-3pm.
Entry to the Cathedral for general visitors will be via the Hostry and a one-way route and social distancing measures will be in place, but people will be very welcome to take their time enjoying the beautiful surrounds of the Cathedral and follow the one-way system at their own pace.
Visitors will be able to pause and light a candle on the Peace Globe in the Nave and three of the Cathedral’s chapels will be open for people to visit.
From Monday 6 July, the Cloisters and Labyrinth will also be open for the public to enjoy for the first time since 23 March. The opening times will be:
- Sunday 1pm-3pm,
- Monday to Friday 10am-4pm,
- and Saturday 10am-3pm.
Entry will be via the Dark Entry and visitors will be asked to follow a clockwise route around the Cloisters. There will be no access between the Cloisters and the Cathedral building at this time.
The Refectory, the Cathedral Shop and the toilets will continue to be closed to visitors for the time being.
Entry to the Cathedral continues to be free to all visitors, but donations are welcome. It costs nearly £5,000 a day to run the Cathedral and all donations will help support the future of this historic landmark for generations to come.
Contactless giving points have recently been put in place around the Cathedral and people can also donate to the Cathedral via a new online giving portal.
