Durham Cathedral to live stream services during Covid-19 crisis

The move follows guidance from the Archbishop of Canterbury and York and includes suspension of all tours, the Open Treasure museum and the central tower.

March 20 is St Cuthbert’s Day, in whose honour Durham Cathedral was built, and in light of the crisis, the cathedral will be celebrating the northern saint in a different way.

The cathedral will be sharing a link to a special half hour St Cuthbert Day Service on March 20 from www.durhamcathedral.co.uk.

It is hoped that as many people as possible will gather at their computers and smartphones to watch at 7pm on the special feast day of St Cuthbert.

A spokeswoman for the cathedral said: “We are embracing digital means and resources wherever possible, so that regular worshippers, or indeed anyone who needs to connect afresh with God during this turbulent time, can worship with us, wherever they may be.

“A member of clergy is saying Morning Prayer, a service of Holy Communion and Evening Prayer each day and we will be live streaming as many of these as possible. We will also live stream as many of the upcoming Holy Week and Easter services as we can.”

The cathedral remains open for private prayer, but it has stressed the importance of following the Government guidance on self-isolation, particularly if people are symptomatic or fall within one of the high-risk categories, before visiting.

Those who do come to the cathedral must observe best hygiene practices. For this reason the church will look different on arrival, with seating spread out and NHS signage visible.

The Very Reverend, Andrew Tremlett, Dean of Durham, said: “It is a time of great uncertainty, but what has already become apparent is the resilience and tenacity of the cathedral community in the face of adversity.

“It is this determination and display of enduring faith that is driving our efforts to adapt our daily worship, so that we can continue to meet the community’s need for spiritual guidance and support.”

On Sunday, March 22 a service of Holy Communion will be livestreamed on the cathedral’s Facebook page at 11.15am.