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Durham Cathedral mourns the death of His Royal Highness The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh

It is with enormous sadness that we receive the news of the death of His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh. Throughout his decades of loyal service, Prince Philip has shown unwavering commitment to Her Majesty the Queen, the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth, and he has set a strong Christian example that we can seek to follow. The Dean of Durham, the Very Reverend Andrew Tremlett, had the privilege of meeting Prince Philip on a number of ceremonial occasions and was always impressed by the sincere interest he showed to members of the Armed Forces. Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him.

  • The cathedral is flying the Union Flag at half mast in Prince Philip’s honour until he is laid to rest.
  • A bell tolled on Friday 9 April from 2pm 99 times at minute intervals, also in Prince Philip’s honour. Watch a video of part of this on Facebook, featuring prayers from Canon Charlie Allen.
  • Leave a message of condolence on the Church of England's website.

The Church of England's Prayer on the death of Prince Philip

God of our lives,
we give thanks for the life of Prince Philip,
for his love of our country,
and for his devotion to duty.
We entrust him now to your love and mercy,
through our Redeemer Jesus Christ. Amen.

Read our statement

Welcome to Durham Cathedral

We welcome you to Durham Cathedral for public worship, private prayer and quiet reflection. In line with phase 2 of the Government’s roadmap out of lockdown, Durham Cathedral is making preparations for daily congregational worship to resume inside the cathedral from 13 April, subject to social distancing and other safety measures. Find updated service information here.

Face coverings must be worn inside the cathedral, except for those who are exempt.

If you can, please donate to support Durham Cathedral’s future. You can donate online here, or at the cathedral using a contactless card or one of the cash donation boxes. Thank you. 

Follow Durham Cathedral on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to hear from us regularly.

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Read articles from staff and volunteers, sharing their in-depth knowledge of Durham Cathedral. Plus go behind the scenes to discover the life of the cathedral.

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Virtual education tours

We now offer online schools' sessions, focussing on different aspects of the cathedral, its history and life.

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Prayer and worship

We offer a warm welcome to anyone who wishes to visit Durham Cathedral to pray, worship or simply find a quiet space to reflect.

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The Cathedral Choristers

Choristers typically join the Cathedral Choir between the ages of eight and nine, and remain until the age of 13. There are usually around 18 boys and around 18 girls.

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Home | Durham Cathedral

Welcome to Durham Cathedral, one of the great buildings of Europe.

Set on a rocky promontory next to the Castle, with the medieval city huddled below and the river sweeping round, the profile of the World Heritage Site is instantly recognisable to travellers on the East Coast railway line.

Why does it exist?

The Community of Cuthbert arrived in Durham from Lindisfarne in 995 and built an Anglo-Saxon cathedral.

In 1083 a community of Benedictine monks was established in Durham following the Norman Conquest.

Construction of the Cathedral as we know it today was started in 1093 by Bishop William of St Calais.
                

 

Our role

Durham Cathedral is a Christian Church of the Anglican Communion and the seat of the Bishop of Durham.

We are a place of worship, welcome and hospitality.

Following the example of Saints Cuthbert and Bede, we share our faith and heritage globally and empower people to transform the communities in which we live and serve.

Our purpose

Our purpose is to worship God, share the gospel of Jesus Christ, welcome all who come, celebrate and pass on our rich Christian heritage and discover our place in God’s creation.