On Friday 15th at 5.30pm, St Swithun’s Feast Day was celebrated with a College of Canons Festal Eucharist, sung by the Boy Choristers and Lay Clerks with the Winchester Cathedral Junior Choir. The Service ended with a Procession to the shrine of St Swithun, where the Dean laid flowers and said the final prayers.
On Saturday 16th, the Friends of Winchester Cathedral held their annual Festival Day. The day started with Eucharist in the Lady Chapel at 8.30am, followed by coffee and pastries in Canon Andy Trenier’s garden. Later in the morning, the Friends took part in a ‘Royal Heritage’ tour, a ‘Quire Cushions’ tour and a general tour of the cathedral, with coffee served in the Undercroft.
At 2pm the AGM took place in the North Transept of the cathedral. The AGM was followed by afternoon tea in the cathedral café garden marquee and the day concluded with Friends’ Festal Evensong in the quire.
On Sunday 17th at 10am, Liturgy of the Foundation took place at which volunteer leaders, staff from across the Cathedral and members of the congregations received their charge from Bishop David and prayers to renew our commitment to the ministry of the cathedral in the diocese at Winchester Cathedral. The special service included processions and music sung by the Choral Foundation, followed by a reception and awards for choristers who are leaving this year.
At 3.30pm that day the installation of Alan Lovell took place at Evensong. The music chosen by the leaving Boy Choristers and sung by the Boy Choristers and Lay Clerks.
Throughout the 15th – 17th July this year’s Southern Cathedrals Festival brought together the renowned choirs of Winchester, Chichester, and Salisbury Cathedrals. Winchester Cathedral’s Choral foundation took part in the weekends events of choral services as well as concerts large and small.