A series of celebrations has been announced to celebrate the 950th anniversary of the construction of Chichester Cathedral. A new choral piece has been composed as part of the festivities which will include street parties and an immersive light show highlighting the West Sussex cathedral’s history. The events are starting with the exhibition Religion, Rebellion and Reformation, which opens on February 14 and will feature nine objects from across East and West Sussex which will each represent a century of the cathedral’s history.
A spokeswoman said: “Through artefacts, stories and pivotal moments, the exhibition aims to highlight how the Christian faith shaped not just the cathedral’s history, but the lives of people across the two counties.”. A concert will be held on May 17 marking the 60th anniversary of Leonard Bernstein’s Chichester Psalms and it will feature the new choral composition. Other events include TrinityFest on the Green on June 15 which will celebrate the Feast of the Holy Trinity, to which the cathedral is dedicated, and will feature street parties in the city centre.
The celebrations will conclude with the light show during the October half-term. Newly installed Dean of Chichester, The Very Reverend Dr Edward Dowler, said: “It is a privilege to join the cathedral at this exciting time as plans for the Chichester950 celebrations unfold. “We hope these events will offer something for everyone. The anniversary also prompts us to look ahead to the next 950 years, and our efforts in various ways to create a legacy that will endure for generations to come.”.
Chichester Cathedral was preceded by the monastery of St Wilfrid at Selsey, which was founded in 681, but in 1075 construction began in Chichester after the Council of London ordered that cathedrals should be built in more populous areas. The cathedral was completed by Bishop Ralph Luffa and consecrated in 1108 but a series of fires in 1114 and 1187 led to a stone-vaulted roof being constructed and the cathedral was re-consecrated in 1199.
Richard of Wych, the bishop of Chichester from 1245 to 1253, was canonised by Pope Urban in 1262 for his ‘holy works and miracles’ and the ceremony to move or ‘translate’ his body to the cathedral’s retroquire was attended by King Edward I and huge crowds. The shrine of St Richard was later destroyed in 1538 during the Reformation. In about 1400, the spire, cloisters and bell were added, making it the only surviving medieval detached bell tower.
