‘Beautiful’ new view for faithful, as Minster open again
As places of worship reopen for private prayer, there are a few changes inside city’s most famous building
A “SPECTACULAR” new twist on a view that has been cherished by the faithful for centuries will greet worshippers at York Minster when it reopens for private prayer today.
After being welcomed in by staff wearing plastic visors and face masks, visitors will find a one-way system, areas off-limits, and most strikingly, that the area for worship has been flipped.
“We have turned the Minster around – not the building but the chairs in it,” the Dean of York, the Rt Rev Dr Jonathan Frost, told The Yorkshire Post. “It’s now orientated towards the West End and the heart of Yorkshire, because we think this gives the best experience we can offer at the moment. We’ve set it out in a way we think is really beautiful. It will be quite an experience to come because the Minster hasn’t looked like this before.”
The Minster, like all other places of worship, has been closed to the public since March 23, with the only glimpses into the cathedral being from streamed services. But yesterday, as lockdown eased, places of worship were allowed to open for private prayer.
It has been a tough period. The Minster last month announced the proposed closure of The Minster School to help offset an estimated £5.2m budget deficit caused by the lack of income
during the lockdown. While some Minster staff remain on furlough, many have been back to prepare for reopening.
Dr Frost said: “Already I have a spring in my step about opening.
“There is genuine excitement among the team here about opening the Minster and those who come to us will be really surprised, even those who know the Minster really well, when they come in, because the work that has been done to reorientate and rearrange the Minister is spectacular.
“On a personal note, it’ll be fabulous to see the doors open and this beautiful building doing what it does best, which is giving people a space, in the midst of life, to prayer, to ponder, to process the things that have happened– and my goodness, people have had a lot to cope with over these weeks. For me, it doesn’t matter whether someone is there for a bit of a nosey or private prayer. Whatever reason brings someone through the doors of the Minster, is a good reason to me. Everyone is welcome, without condition and without reserve.”
When Ripon Cathedral opened yesterday, a queue of people were waiting to get in.
The Dean of Ripon, the Very Rev John Dobson, said the cathedral’s “Cobra committee” had been working on scenarios for reopening since before lockdown, and he was very pleased to be able to welcome people into the building, which has the oldest place for prayer in the entire country, once more.
He said: “Through this period of lockdown, when people have been feeling anxious, many people have been experiencing illness or bereavement, people have turned to prayer and wanted the consolation of their faith.
“Some people have begun to think about faith in a different way, because of this experience. Those people want the church to be there – and while we have been, streaming a service every day, writing to people, and phoning – there’s no question that coming into a place where prayer has been happening for over 1,300 years, is so important. It’s been tremendous to welcome them back.”
It’s now orientated towards the heart of Yorkshire.
Dean of York, the Rt Rev Dr Jonathan Frost.