On Tuesday 10 December, at an event in the Galilee Chapel, six volunteers who have each offered over 20 years of service were entered into the book as a thank-you for their dedication.
Alongside the names of volunteers, also added were the names of the cathedral’s major benefactors, which include individuals, trusts and companies who have gifted more than £10,000 in the last five years.
Matthew Mills, Head of Development at Durham Cathedral says, “Inscribing names in a Liber Vitae is essentially the continuation of a medieval practice, when inclusion in the book offered an assurance of prayers in the face of divine judgement. Revived in 2007, today’s Liber Vitae is a way of honouring those whose loyal support, as volunteers and donors, is vital to the success of all our endeavours, from worship and fabric conservation, to arts programming, and caring for our natural environment.”
The name of each volunteer or donor was inscribed by specialist calligrapher Tim Sokell.
Quote from An inscription in the front of the Liber Vitae states:
The Chapter commissioned this volume with the intention of recording each year the significant gifts and voluntary service without which the Cathedral could not continue to flourish.
An inscription in the front of the Liber Vitae states:
Keeping traditions
The tradition of the Liber Vitae goes back many centuries; the original manuscript was started in the ninth century, possibly on Lindisfarne, and listed the names of kings, dukes, queens and abbesses. It is thought that the purpose was to remember the living and the dead in church, including in some solemn ceremonies when the book would be processed to the high altar. In 1100, the monks revived the use of the Liber Vitae and the names of bishops of Durham, the first priors of Durham, and Durham monks were included.
Celebrating together
This year, Liber Vitae celebrations were also combined with the annual Christmas Carol Service for all staff, volunteers, friends and supporters of Durham Cathedral. After the Liber Vitae official photographs, the cathedral community gathered in the Chapter House for mince pies and drinks. Then it was time for singing with the carol service taking place inside the cathedral, with hymns such as O Little Town of Bethlehem and Hark! the Herald Angels Sing along with Christmas readings from staff.
The reception was generously sponsored by Nigel and Suzanne Williams, owners of Newgate Finance, a finance broker supplying cars to clergy and related groups for 25 years. We are working with Newgate to mark and celebrate the service of the cathedral's wonderful volunteers. For more information about Newgate, visit their website.
