Services

Introduction

Rochester Cathedral has been a place of Christian worship since AD604. With its roots in the Benedictine tradition, the ongoing daily pattern of morning and evening prayer and Eucharist (or Holy Communion) continues the prayers and praises of countless generations in this Cathedral.

Holy Communion

Holy Communion (also known as the Eucharist, the Lord’s Supper, or the Mass) is celebrated daily in the Cathedral. In this service:

we gather as the church, the body of Christ
we listen to God’s word
we give thanks over bread and wine for all that Jesus has done and continues to do for us and remember the meal Jesus shared with his disciples on the night before he died
we are sent out to serve God’s world

The Cathedral Eucharist

The Cathedral Eucharist is a sung celebration of Holy Communion with beautiful music and the richness of the liturgy, as we gather to celebrate all that Jesus has done and continues to do for us. There are hymns and songs, a choir, usually a sermon, and the service lasts about an hour and a quarter.

There is a Cathedral Eucharist every Sunday (and on Christmas Day).

Morning Prayer

Morning Prayer is a service of prayer and praise to begin the day.

A simple, said service of Morning Prayer, which lasts approximately 15 minutes, takes place at 07:45 Monday to Friday and at 08:45 on Saturdays, Bank Holidays and certain other days during the year.

Choral Evensong

As the day begins with Morning Prayer, so the day ends with an evening service of prayer and praise, using the traditional language of the Book of Common Prayer. This is normally sung by the Cathedral Choir (lasting about 40 minutes).

Choral Evensong outside of choir terms is sung by a visiting choir or replaced by said Evening Prayer – please check the current Music List (above) for details.

Compline

The ancient office of Compline derives its name from a Latin word meaning ‘completion’ (completorium). It is above all a service of quietness and reflection before rest at the end of the day.

Music List

To view the detailed schedule of services and any changes to the regular pattern of services for the next few weeks, please see the ‘Music List’, which can be found here when available

Sunday 15th December - Sunday 29th December

Sunday 29th December - Sunday 12th January

You may wish to check this before your visit if you are planning to join us for sung services.