April, 2020

A message from the Dean

I hope this newsletter finds you, your family and friends well and coping with the impact of this terrible virus.

Despite self-isolation and social distancing we have discovered new ways of ‘being together’ while still complying with Government and Church directives. Although our building is closed our worship is still very much alive with services and prayers accessed through the website and social media – do follow us on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.  

Of course many of our forthcoming events have been cancelled but we will continue to keep you informed of our progress as we plan for the return to normality. It seems light years away since we welcomed over a hundred and twenty thousand people during the three weeks The Museum of the Moon was on display in the Nave, nearly as many as we do in a year.   

Sadly now, like other cathedrals, with no permanent funding from the Government or the Church of England and no opportunity to raise income, our finances have been badly affected by the lockdown. It will take every ounce of ingenuity and planning and generosity from our supporters to recover.  With that in mind, you will see an opportunity to donate on the Home page. In addition, future events are being planned and our cafe will open once more. You may also want to consider hiring an area of the Cathedral for an event, maybe one that has been postponed – do email info@rochestercathedral.org with any enquiries. 

It would be understandable if people felt a little disheartened by events, but the Cathedral has seen many things in its lifetime and continues to stand as a testament to God’s love and provision. We pray that this will continue.

The Very Reverend Dr Philip Hesketh AKC Dean of Rochester

The Cathedral from the heavens

A different perspective on a our much-loved Cathedral. Drone photographer, Geoff Watkins, with the help of Cathedral staff and Medway Council, organised the flights during which he was able to capture this incredible image.

The photograph has been a huge hit on social media with people asking for prints and the possibility of it being made into a jigsaw-puzzle! “The photo has been so much more popular than I could have imagined. I’m so happy that it’s bought some positivity”, Geoff commented.

Here, at the Cathedral, we always enjoy seeing your photographs and artworks – don’t forget to tag us if you’d like a repost!

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Pearsall: Lay a Garland

A musical masterpiece performed by
Andrew Leslie Cooper

I moved to Rochester in 2018 when I began as a Choral Scholar in the Cathedral Choir. After my choral scholarship ended, I was appointed to the Choir of HM Chapel Royal, Hampton Court Palace, but chose to stay living in Rochester.

In January, I recorded Pearsall's Lay a garland in the Cathedral Crypt, adjacent to the lovely Ithamar Chapel. When the Coronavirus lockdown started to happen, I decided it was the perfect time to share what I had created.

Poetic though it may have been, my video actually wasn't inspired by any restriction on making music with other people; I had already recorded it before the virus even reached the UK! That being said, I think lots of people who saw the video were encouraged that although live musical performances or church services had to be stopped, the music could still continue.

This situation has forced professional musicians to be creative with how we practise our craft. Through the wonders of technology, we have seen an outpouring of music-making done in isolation or remotely. It gives me hope that our art will persist no matter the circumstances or adversity it faces.