What's On

Develop your child’s love of the outdoors by exploring Durham Cathedral’s woodlands and riverbanks in tailored weekly sessions for little learners, led by Durham Cathedral’s Education team.

Towards the end of the Epiphany season (which lasts until Candlemas on 2 February) the Cathedral holds an Epiphany Procession, which begins with the Cathedral Choir processing, as the Magi (Three Kings) did, ‘from the East’.

Every January, one of Durham Cathedral’s organists plays Messiaen’s La Nativité du Seigneur, a set of organ pieces meditating on the story of Christ’s birth. This year’s performance is given by the Cathedral’s Sub-Organist Francesca Massey.

The speaker at Durham Cathedral’s annual Holocaust Memorial Day talk is Eva Clarke, who was born in Mauthausen concentration camp, Austria, 29 April 1945. Join us as we explore Holocaust Memorial Day's theme for 2019, ‘Torn From Home’.  The talk will reflect on what happens when communities are driven from their homes because of persecution or genocide, alongside the difficulties survivors face in making new homes when the genocide is over. 

Durham University Charity Fashion Society host a Festival of Sustainability at Durham Cathedral in support of the Environmental Justice Foundation.

Durham Choral Society and the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment

Conducted by Steven Devine

Please note, public access will be limited during the service which is for a congregation of local schools. 

Over 450 singers will come together to sing in the second ever Celebration of Community Choirs from across North East England. This joyous occasion showcases vocal and choral singing, demonstrating the core benefits from making music with friends and coming together as a group to perform.

Candlemas is known as the Presentation of Christ in the Temple, and commemorates an early stage in Jesus’ life.  It draws to a close the liturgical season of Christmas. 

The choirs of Durham University Colleges come together for a special Evensong. Once again conducted by Durham Cathedral's Master of the Choristers and Organist, Daniel Cook. 

Dunelm Lux Aeterna is a new commission written by Paul Smith for VOCES8 and the combined voices of hundreds of singers in Durham Cathedral in 2019, commissioned by Durham Music Service. 5 movements have been written with 5 schools, Framwellgate School, Finchale Primary, St. Bede's Catholic School and Sixth form (Lanchester), St. Bede's RC Comprehensive and Byron Sixth Form, Teesdale School and Sixth Form.

The world premiere of Solfa Carlile's 'Life of St Cuthbert', a new commission by Cantata Dramatica.

Part of the Durham Vocal Festival.

Showcasing the very best Youth Choirs in the North of England, the North East Festival of Youth Choirs now in it's fourth year will feature the world premiere of Cuthbert and the Otters written and conducted by Boston Symphony Orchestra's conductor James Burton.

The 14th century Great Kitchen is one of the highlights of the Cathedral's award-winning museum experience, Open Treasure. Today, it houses the Treasures of St Cuthbert, but it has seen many changes over the centuries. This exhibition explores its history, how it was built, and gives an insight into the food and drink that would have been prepared there.

There will be limited access to the nave of the Cathedral due to the busy nature of this service.

The Durham University Chamber Choir return to Durham Cathedral's Chapter House, following on from the success of Path of Miracles in 2018.

Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent which is the 40-day period (not including Sundays) of fasting and repentance leading up to Easter.

Our Lenten journey begins with Eucharist at 7.30am, followed by Morning Prayer at 8.45am, Eucharist at 12.30pm, Evensong at 5.15pm and a sung Eucharist at 7.30pm. 

The Stations of the Cross are a time-honoured means of walking with Christ the way of his passion.  At each station, the congregation gathers around symbols as a focus for prayer and intentions for prayer are suggested.  By walking the way of the Cross, worshippers express a Lenten desire to follow Jesus more closely.

This joyous service commemorating the life of St Cuthbert includes the Lucernarium (the blessing of the light), and the offering of incense.

Durham Cathedral is the Shrine of St Cuthbert, and the feast of this favourite saint of the North is celebrated over two days in March.

Palm Sunday marks the beginning of Holy Week, and commemorates Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem riding on a donkey. 

Durham Cathedral Choir joins forces with the Avison Ensemble to perform Bach’s stunning St John Passion on the evening of Palm Sunday 2019. This unmissable concert will be conducted by Daniel Cook, Master of the Choristers and Organist at Durham Cathedral.  The orchestra will be led by renowned period instrument violinist Pavlo Beznosiuk.

Bishops, priests and deacons of the diocese renew their ministerial vows at a service of Holy Communion on the day before the commemoration of the crucifixion of Jesus.

Maundy Thursday is the evening of the Last Supper. On his final evening with his disciples, Jesus instituted the Eucharist, commanding his disciples to wash one anothers' feet.  After that final meal, Jesus and his disciples went out to the Garden of Gethsemane to pray.

At the centre of Good Friday is the Cross. In this service its meaning is brought home to us in three ways: first by hearing the account of the Passion in St John’s Gospel; then by praying for all those for whom Christ died; then by reflecting on and reverencing a visible cross.

Many Christians are familiar with the traditional Stations of the Cross as a devotion used customarily on Fridays and during Lent and Passiontide. In more recent years, complementary series of devotions around the biblical accounts of the Resurrection have been developed by the Liturgical Commission of the Church of England in Common Worship: Times and Seasons. The service is a dramatic procession, exploring by movement, symbol, word and music the mystery of the Resurrection.

The Cathedral community commemorates the ‘Father of English learning’ with a Sung Eucharist held at his shrine in the Galilee Chapel.

We continue with our celebrations of Bede, ‘the Father of English learning’ with Choral Evensong and Procession.

We celebrate our Lord's ascension into heaven with Solemn Evensong at 5.15pm, followed by Sung Eucharist at 7.30pm. 

Pentecost calls to mind the descent of the Holy Spirit to Jesus’ disciples and the beginning of their mission to take God’s word out into the world.

The Feast of Corpus Christi (Latin, ‘the Body of Christ’) is a day in which we give thanks for the gift of Holy Communion. Christ’s command to break bread and share wine together, in remembrance of him, is at the heart of Christian worship, and we call this to mind at every Holy Communion.

New Priests of the Diocese are ordained by the Bishop, and their ministry inaugurated, in a celebratory service at the Cathedral.

New Deacons of the Diocese are ordained by the Bishop, and their ministry inaugurated, during a great service of celebration in the Cathedral. 

Thousands of people from across the County and beyond come to Durham to celebrate the rich mining heritage of the North East. This day of festivites culminates in the procession of pit banners, preceded by the pit brass bands, to the Cathedral, where they are laid up, and often new banners are dedicated.

September 4 has long been venerated as the anniversary of the enshrining in 999 of the body of St Cuthbert in the original ‘White Church’ prior to the building of the present Cathedral, and we celebrate this today with Sung Eucharist at 11.15 a.m.

Veterans from the Durham Light Infantry hold an annual reunion service in the Cathedral, at which the regimental roll of honour is read and hymns and prayers are offered in commemoration of the fallen, and those who have died since the previous reunion. The service centres around the Durham Light Infantry Chapel, in which the regimental colours are preserved. 

The Battle of Britain, a pivotal conflict of the Second World War, saved England from invasion and prepared the way for the subsequent liberation of Europe and the defeat of the Nazis.  The bravery and sacrifice of so many men is commemorated at Evensong today.

Michael, Gabriel and Raphael are the three named biblical angels, depicted as the beloved messengers of God.  A basilica near Rome was dedicated in the fifth century in honour of Michael on 30 September, beginning with celebrations on the eve of that day, and 29 September is now kept in honour of Michael and all Angels throughout the western Church.  

A special day of services in honour of God’s saints including Holy Communion at 7.30am, and a Sung Eucharist in the Quire at 7.30pm.

On All Souls’ Day, we commemorate all those whom we have loved and lost, at a celebration of the Eucharist. All are welcome to attend and give thanks for the life of a family member or friend.

The Cathedral Community is joined by military representatives and dignitaries to remember those who have given their lives for their country and the serving soldiers who put their lives at risk today. The service will be followed by wreath-laying and a formal parade.