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Enjoy the awe and wonder of Gloucester Cathedral this Easter

Gloucester Cathedral welcomes all to participate in its services and events during the festival of Easter, as it proclaims the message of hope

There is something for everyone at Gloucester Cathedral this Holy Week and Easter. From services to fun family activities, and the return of the Cathedral’s Tower Tours, plenty is on offer at Gloucester Cathedral this spring.

All are invited to join for worship during Holy Week, beginning with the Palm Sunday Eucharist at 10.15am on Sunday 24 March. Thursday 28 March is Maundy Thursday, which is when Christians remember the Last Supper. Gloucester Cathedral is marking the day with the Chrism Eucharist at 11am, which all are warmly welcome to attend. The service features the blessing of holy oils and will be led by The Right Revd Rachel Treweek, Bishop of Gloucester. There will also be a Maundy Thursday Eucharist and Watch commencing at 7.30pm.

Good Friday begins with The Preaching of the Cross at 12noon, followed by the Liturgy of Good Friday at 1.30pm, finishing with a performance of Bach’s dramatic St John Passion at 7pm. All are welcome to join us for this concert, which is free to attend, but donations to the Cathedral are always appreciated. This is followed by The Liturgy of Easter Eve at 8pm, a beautiful candlelit service held on Holy Saturday on 30 March. Holy Week concludes with our special Easter Sunday Eucharist at 10.15am and Choral Evensong at 3pm on Sunday 31 March, when we will celebrate the Resurrection of Christ. The Cathedral is delighted to welcome guest preacher Dr Sanjee Perera for the duration of Holy Week. A lay canon at Liverpool Cathedral, she will explore the dappled shade of Grace between doubt and faith during her time at Gloucester Cathedral.

Over the Easter Holidays, there is also plenty on offer for families. The brand-new ‘Little Lamb Adventure Trail’ will be available for visitors of all ages to take part in during normal Cathedral opening hours between Saturday 23 March and Sunday 7 April, excluding Good Friday. Visitors can collect a trail sheet from the Cathedral Welcome Desk, which will task them with helping Larry the Lamb find his friends around the Cathedral! As they do so, they’ll learn more about this beautiful building and the Easter story. Families are invited to discover how the Easter festival has been celebrated throughout history at our fun family activities ‘Easter Through the Ages’, with crafts, cookery and more on offer. Sessions are running in the Chapter House of the Cathedral between 11am-3.30pm on Tuesday 26 and Wednesday 27 March, and Tuesday 2 and Wednesday 3 April. These sessions are free, with the exception of Easter Basket making, which is £5 payable on the day.

For those who wish to get behind-the-scenes access to Gloucester Cathedral’s historic spaces, Tower Tours are returning on Tuesday 26 March. During these tours, visitors can experience breathtaking views of the city and the surrounding countryside. People can also make their visit extra special with a tour of the Cathedral’s beautiful, hidden 15th Century library on Saturday 6 April, which will allow visitors to explore the Easter story with some treasures from our library and archive collection. Tickets for the Library and Tower Tours can be booked online in advance via the Cathedral website.

The Very Reverend Andrew Zihni, Dean of Gloucester said:
“This Easter, Gloucester Cathedral welcomes you to enjoy the wonder of this holy space, built to proclaim the message of Easter hope. Throughout all our services and events, we shall be pointing to the story of new life, transformation, and the love of God for all people in the risen Christ. You can be assured of the warmest of welcomes here at the Cathedral, whatever the reason for your visit at this special time.”

Further details about all these events and activities can be found on the Cathedral website.