High York service sees St Peter statue dedicated
An unusual service took place at York Minster this afternoon (Sunday 29 June 2014), with the Dean of York, the Very Reverend Vivienne Faull, wearing a hard hat and presiding from the top of the scaffold on the cathedral’s East front, as the new statue of St Peter was dedicated.
With incense and Holy water, the Dean dedicated the statue as the other clergy, choir and congregation below watched on screens on College Green, before returning to ground level to continue the St Peter’s Day Choral Evensong service inside the Minster.
“York Minster’s full name is the Cathedral and Metropolitical Church of St Peter in York, so this is an important day for the Minster’s patron saint, and the perfect day to officiate over the dedication of the statue of him that sits as the head of one of the most important stained glass windows in the world,” comments Dean Faull. “When work started on the East front, all that remained of the original statue was an unidentifiable lump of stone, so it is a testament to the hard work of the theologians, historians, designers and carvers that we can now see such a beautiful carving in place, where it will remain looking out over the city for many centuries to come.”
The dedication of the statue marks another landmark in the York Minster Revealed project, as this lowering of the scaffolding will continue over the next eighteen months, until the whole of the restored masonry of the East Front is unveiled, including large sections of the medieval window itself, which have been carefully conserved by York Glazier’s Trust.
For more information about York Minster, please visit www.yorkminster.org
ENDS
About York Minster Revealed
The York Minster Revealed project is a five-year project scheduled for completion in spring 2016. It is the largest restoration and conservation project of its kind in Europe. The cost of the whole York Minster Revealed Project is £20 million, of which £10.5m has been generously supported with a grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF). The remainder of the fund has been raised by York Minster.
State-of-the-art multi-media galleries, new displays of historic collections and interactive interpretations now create new learning opportunities for all ages. Also improved access to the South Transept, Undercroft, Treasury and Crypt have totally transformed the experience of visiting York Minster.
About the Heritage Lottery Fund
Using money raised through the National Lottery, the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) aims to make a lasting difference for heritage, people and communities across the UKand help build a resilient heritage economy. From museums, parks and historic places to archaeology, natural environment and cultural traditions, we invest in every part of our diverse heritage. HLF has supported almost 36,000 projects with more than £6bn across the UK. www.hlf.org.uk. For more information, please contact Katie Owen, HLF press office, on tel: 020 7591 6036/07973 613820.
For further media information or images, please contact:
Jay Commins
Tel: 01904 500698
Mob: 07810 546567
Email: jay@pyperyork.co.uk
