CHRISTMAS 2018

Christmas is about thereconciliation of opposites. I

don’t mean those temporary trucesthat even the most bad-tempered offamilies manage to broker for theday, vital though they are. I don’tmean the marriage of cranberrieswith roast turkey that takes place onour tables, delicious though that is.

I mean the reconciliation that isevident throughout the stories thatwe will hear and tell at this season.The appearance of heaven’s angelsamidst the noise and stink of ashepherds’ camp; the glow of easterngold on the beaten dirt floor of aJudean lodging house; the unplannedpregnancy of an unmarried virginfrom a town in far-off Galilee. Thestories point us unambiguously in onedirection. In the birth of the Christ-child heaven is being joined to earth.The eternal to the finite; thesplendid to the commonplace; thedivine to the human.

That reconciliation of opposites isthe Gospel that Christians proclaimat Christmas. It has no moreeloquent architectural expressionthan our Cathedral — firmly plantedon the green of the Close and yetstretching impossibly skywards,drawing us up with it.

NEWSFRIENDS Friends

Salisbury Cathedral

In my lifetime the world has neverneeded that Gospel more urgently. Ithas become a staple of conversationto remark upon the seeminglyirreconcilable rifts in our society:Leave - Remain; young — old; poor —wealthy. None of us can say with anycertainty what 2019 will bring.Perhaps as the truce holds aroundthe table and the last of thecranberry is savoured, Friends mightponder how they could contribute toour world’s reconciliation.

Because what happens at Christmascompels us to believe that oppositescan be reconciled. When they arethe world is changed — for good, andfor ever.

So in that spirit I wish you, those youlove, and those you find difficult tolove, a blessed, holy and peacefulChristmas. Nick Papadopulos, Dean

From the Chairman

Welcome to our Christmasnewsletter and thank you for

your continued support for theFriends of Salisbury Cathedral.

There was an excellent turnout for our88th AGM on Saturday 15th September,marking the first formal duty of ournew President, Dean NicholasPapadopulos since his installation sixdays earlier (see a summary of hisaddress in this newsletter).

We were pleased to welcome twotrustees, elected to our Council atthe AGM, Katharine Shearing andLucinda Herklots, as we saidfarewell to Valerie Shrubb and PaulWilliams, who step down havingserved as trustees for three years.

The 2017/18 year was a successfulone for the Friends, with newmembers joining, a higher publicprofile and all grant requests fromthe Cathedral Chapter met.

The Friends benefited from a share ofthe funds raised by 756th Mayor ofSalisbury Councillor Derek Brown, and

the second open gardens afternoon inMay 2017 was our most successfulevent (raising £9,000), with a further£1,200 raised from the teas at SouthCanonry for the Sudan link.

The Friends’ holiday to Truro wasenjoyed by 35 members, Dean Junereturned as Bishop June to take partin our first Desert Island Discs event,and acting Dean Ed Probert presidedover our 2017 AGM.

Since then we have enjoyed a concertby Sarum Six, the works departmenthas brilliantly refurbished theMogford/Ogg model of the Cathedralconstruction, and we held our thirdopen gardens event in May 2018,raising more than £10,000. This isbeing used to sponsor a prominentcolumn, pinnacle and finial on theeast end of the Cathedral.

Also in May, the GDPR (General DataProtection Regulation) came intoeffect and the Friends have put inplace all the necessary requirementsto ensure compliance with the new

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Cathedral Clerk of the Works Gary Price(left), Friends’ chairman Duncan Glass (centre)and ecclesiastical carpenter Richard Pikeadmire the refurbished Mogford/Ogg model.

Members await the start of the AGM onFriends’ Day 2018.

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regulations and protect members’data in the most effective way.

Our secretary for the past ten years,Kate Beckett retired in September andJulia Lever has succeeded her. Thecollection for a farewell gift for Katewas met with huge generosity frommembers and the Cathedral stonemasons made her the best bespokebirdbath you’ve ever seen! My sincerethanks to Kate for all her great work,and to members and friends for theircontributions to her farewell. I alsowant to thank the Cathedral staff,

our trustees, members andvolunteers for your steadfast supportand generous commitment.

You will find details of theCathedral’s Advent, Christmas andEpiphany services on the back pageof this newsletter, as well as detailsof the Cathedral’s and the Friends’events. We look forward to seeingmany of our members at theseevents and I join our Friends’ Counciland staff in wishing you all a veryhappy Christmas and New Year.

Duncan Glass, Chairman

Many of you will have met Julia atFriends’ Day in September and

you will have discovered that she isno stranger to the Cathedral.

Her association goes back to 2003when she began working in theRefectory as events manager.

In 2006 she became PA to the ChapterClerk and worked for three holders ofthe post before leaving this summerto become Friends’ secretary.

During her time at the ChapterOffice she was staff representativeand secretary of the CommunityForum (the body that represents theCathedral congregation) for anumber of years and also helped outat the Bishop’s office for a shorttime before combining her ChapterOffice role with work in the Friends’Office in 2016.

“I have seen lots of different aspectsof the Cathedral’s life and it’s lovelyto be involved still as Friends’secretary. I look forward to getting toknow many more of the Friends,”said Julia, who lives in Wilton.

Julia has the Cathedral to thank forbeing the place where she met herpartner Tom Beattie.

“Tom is a stone conservator and hestarted work at the Cathedral when Iwas in the Chapter Office,” she said.“It is lovely that it was the Cathedralthat brought us together.”

Meet our new Friends’executive secretary Julia Lever

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By popular demand, Sarum Six willbe back to sing for us on Saturday

2nd February.

The candlelit concert is in two parts:the first half will be a programme ofRenaissance music in the ChapterHouse and the second half, in theRefectory, will comprise Edwardianclose harmony songs.

Our Cosy Coffee Mornings continueon Tuesday 12th February in the BellTower Tearoom.

And on Tuesday 5th March, CathedralCanon Treasurer Robert Titley will be‘cast away’ when he takes part inour Desert Island Discs event in theRefectory. Robert, our Chapterrepresentative, will be sharing hislife’s journey and choosing his eightrecords, book and luxury item.

Stratfield Saye, on theHampshire/Berkshire border, is thedestination for our coach trip onWednesday 24th April.

Home to the Dukes of Wellington since1817, the house has a magnificent

collection of paintings and furniture.The extensive grounds include trees,shrubs and a rose garden.

Our Secret Gardens of the Close eventwill take place in June instead of Mayto enable garden owners to show offtheir roses. (See separate entry). � You will find booking forms forthe Sarum Six and Desert IslandDiscs evenings, and for theStratfield Saye trip with yournewsletter. Please book early toavoid disappointment.� Details of events for the secondhalf of the year will appear in ourEaster newsletter and Spire.

If you have an idea for an event orcoach trip, please let us know.

It’s time to book for our 2019 events!

News in brief…Subscriptions� The Friends are planning to makepayment of subscriptions by directdebit available to members in 2019.This payment system will be familiarto those who pay council tax, waterrates and charitable subscriptions bythis method.

It involves completion of a simpleinstruction to your bank to enable theFriends to take your payment. Wewill, of course, send you writtenconfirmation before any payment ismade and you can cancel at any time.

The Friends benefit from this simplerand more efficient way of collectingsubscriptions and it removes the

Stratfield Saye

FRIENDSNEWS 5

need for members to remember tosend a cheque or cash each year.

More details will follow in the Easternewsletter.

Gift membership� If you’re stuck for an idea for aChristmas gift for a friend orrelative, why not consider Friends’membership?Membership costs £20 for a singlemembership and £30 for a jointmembership.

Your gift will comprise a membershipform for your friend or relative tocomplete and a gift number.

These will be enclosed in one of ourbeautiful Salisbury Florilegium

Society notecards, which are sold forthe benefit of the Cathedral.

For more details, contactthe Friends’ office at 33aThe Close, Salisbury,SP12EJ, telephone 01722335161.

Friends’ holiday� The 2019 Friends’ holiday will beto Durham and Northumbria and willtake place from 24th to 28th June.The trip will take in Banburgh Castleand Holy Island, visiting the Prioryruins and Lindisfarne Castle. Therewill be a boat cruise along the RiverWear, visits to Crook Hall and Gardens,Warkworth, Alnwick and Aucklandcastles, and Durham Cathedral.

If you are interested, please seemore details on the separate sheetenclosed.

Open gardens� The 2018 Secret Gardens of theClose afternoon was such a success,with nearly £11,000 raised forCathedral projects, the Friends areholding the event again next year.

This time, it will be held on 9th Juneto enable visitors to enjoy the roses.

Tamaris Ryan (left) and Deirdre Walkeradmire a painting by Sally Pond entitledEnglish Oak, which formed part of SalisburyFlorilegium Society's exhibition on Friends'Day. Many of the designs have been used tocreate the notelets that are sold for thebenefit of the Cathedral and used for theFriends' gift membership pack.

Friends enjoying the 2018 Secret Gardens event

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The Friends’ Pinnacle The success of this year’s SecretGardens of the Close event has madeit possible for the Friends to fund ourvery own pinnacle on the north-eastcorner of the Trinity Chapel under theCathedral’s Sponsor a Stone initiative.Here Clerk of the Works Gary Pricetells us about the project.

“I chose the north-east corner of theTrinity Chapel for the Friends’pinnacle,” says Gary, “Because youwill just about be able to see it fromthe back of the Friends’ office.” Gary explained that the £10,000 raised

from the open gardens event will coverthe entire cost of the carving,conserving and stone replacement.

“We will be conserving some of theexisting stone, adding additionalstones where they have deterioratedand replacing the six 1860s Ashburtoncolumns (below the base) withPurbeck stone columns,” he said.

“We have now worked all of thestones for the Friends’ pinnacle,including the crown and collar of the

Head mason Lee Andrews (left) and Clerk ofthe Works Gary Price with some of theworked stones for the Friends’ pinnacle.

Details of Major Repair Area 6 showing theFriends’ pinnacle (top right), marked ‘SCF’.

There will be new gardens open, aswell as stalls and teas.

More details will be available earlynext year.

Canon Precentor� As our newsletter reaches you theCathedral community will have bidfarewell to Canon Precentor TomClammer, who has held the rolesince 2012.

His last service was on 24th November.

Dean Nicholas Papadopulos said theCathedral “will continue to supporthim as he discerns a new directionfor his ministry in the future”.

“Our life has been hugely enrichedby Tom’s immense liturgical skill,musical gifts, and wisdom as ateacher,” he said.

“He and Emma have been generoushosts and we will miss themenormously.”

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The Little Paradise project, whichprovided the Cathedral with new

toilets, a boiler room and storagespace, cost £1.4m, £670,000 of whichwas raised by the Friends. The£590,000 borrowed by the Cathedralfrom its endowment funds tocomplete the project is beingreimbursed by the Friends in annualinstalments. Canon Treasurer RobertTitley says the toilets regularlyattract positive reviews on TripAdvisor, have helped the Cathedralwin two Eco Church awards and aretwinned with a toilet in Sub-SaharanAfrica. He explains:

There is a project, sponsored bycharity A Rocha UK (meaning ‘rock’ inPortuguese) called Eco Church, whichencourages everyone to see the worldas God’s gift and measure how wellwe are caring for God’s earth indifferent areas of our life and work.An online survey is completed and theanswers collect points towards an EcoChurch Award.

“Areas include our worship andteaching - the hymns we sing, ourpreaching and education courses —

finial, but have not yet fixed them.Hopefully they will be fixed by thesummer of 2019.

“We want to add a set of initials tothe bottom base of one of thereplacement stones to recognise theFriends’ sponsorship. Those initialsmight be found in years to come byfuture masons.

Canon Treasurer Robert Titley with the EcoChurch awards.

management of our buildings andland, community engagement, andlifestyle,” he said.

He said the toilets played a large partin the winning of a bronze award in2016 and a silver award this year.

“We have rainwater capture on theroof and the lighting is low energy,”he said. “What the Friends builthelped us to gain these awards.

“I am very grateful to the Friends fortheir continued contribution to theMajor Repair Programme in the formof sponsoring this pinnacle.”� Gary began his career at SalisburyCathedral as an apprenticed stonesawyer and has been Clerk of theWorks for six years. Lee also started asan apprentice and is now head mason.

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There’s now a head of steam in thecongregation for pushing for gold!

“And the Friends can do their ownaudit at home by looking at their useof water and energy, or simply bytaking a regular walk to enjoy God’screation.”

� Toilet Twinning is a water andsanitation initiative by internationalrelief and development agencyTearfund to encourage people to pay£60 to twin their toilet with animpoverished family’s latrine. Underthe slogan ‘Flushing away poverty,one toilet at a time’, the aim is tobuild toilets (average cost £60) in

During Remembrance season,visitors to the Cathedral’s Morning

Chapel were able to see textile artistSuzie Gutteridge’s installationentitled Binding the Past To thePresent Through Remembrance.

Suzie said she wanted to create apiece of artwork honouring memoryand remembrance, represented bycombining puttees and poppies – twopoignant symbols of war.

The Heritage Lottery-funded projectwas inspired by puttees thatbelonged to her late father, a formersoldier.

Working with 15 community groupsand volunteers to make the red felt,shape the poppies and build theartwork, she created a display of 100poppy-covered puttees – one tocommemorate each year since theend of the First World War.

She said: “I wanted the poppies tolook natural, as though they had justfallen down the puttees.

“It was an amazing experience for meand hopefully everyone who has beenpart of it.”

desperately poor areas in Africa andAsia and provide a package of healtheducation. Donors receive acertificate and photo of the twinnedtoilet with the GPS co-ordinates toenable them to look up the locationon Google Maps.

Robert said Little Paradise is twinnedwith a latrine in Sub-Saharan Africa.

“Individual Friends could twin theirtoilet at home,” he said.

“Our toilet at home is twinned with atoilet in Zimbabwe because myprevious Diocese of Southwark had alink with Zimbabwe.”

Binding the past To the Present ThroughRemembrance: textile artist SuzieGutteridge’s installation of poppies andputtees that was in the Cathedral’s MorningChapel during Remembrance season.

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“The support of colleagues and thecommunity here, and the hospitalwere marvellous,” he said.

He said the highlights of his yearwere the Triduum — taking theMaundy Thursday, three-hour GoodFriday and 4am Easter Sundayservices, and singing the cantor’spart in the Southern Cathedrals’Festival joint evensong, broadcast byRadio 3, and the Royal School ofChurch Music’s Millennium YouthChoir’s live broadcast.

Charles and his wife Catherine havemoved to Northumbria, but he won’tlose touch with Salisbury.

“When we come down to visitCatherine’s father in Romsey, wemay slip into the Cathedral on aSunday morning,” he said.

The Cathedral community saidgoodbye to its Associate Canon,

the Very Revd Charles Taylor at theend of September.

The occasion was marked with thesharing of a cake made by SusanBranch and decorated in icing with adepiction of his beloved MorrisMinor, a ‘loose canon’ and a trebleclef to represent his singing role.

He presented the Dean with a ‘pulpitegg timer’.

“It’s for ten minutes and is for useby the clergy for the benefit of thecongregation,” he joked.

Charles, who retired as Dean ofPeterborough in 2016, was asked byformer Dean of Salisbury JuneOsborne to help out for a year untilher successor was appointed.

His part-time role involved takingservices, being ‘canon in residence’— the first port of call for someonecoming into the Cathedral needing tosee a priest, assisting the Precentorin putting services together andsharing the cantor’s part.

He welcomed visiting choirs,addressed the Community Forum andother groups, and performed apastoral role, “getting to knowpeople and being alongside them”.

“I enjoyed it very much,” he said. “Itwas the right place at the right time.”

During Advent Charles’s mobilitydeteriorated and shortly afterwards hewas diagnosed with prostate cancer.

The Very Revd Charles Taylor with the icedmotifs from the cake made by Susan Branch.

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Regular volunteers Susan and Trevor Branch,Patrick Thomas and Anthony Weale at thevolunteers’ tea party.

Christmas is approaching and NewYear will be hot on its heels.

Why not make a New Year resolutionto join our band of volunteers?Several members already help at ourevents, but we always need more.Here we talk to Rosemary Allen, oneof our most active volunteers.

‘Time flies when you’re having fun’could be Rosemary Allen’s mottowhen she talks about volunteeringfor the Friends.

Salisbury born and bred, Rosemaryand her late husband moved back tothe city in 1991 and wanted to getinvolved in its life. So they joinedthe Friends.

“I started by delivering thenewsletter — my patch was fromChurchfields to Lower Bemerton,”she recalls. “Over the years I got toknow a lot of people.”

Ever thought about volunteering for the Friends?

Rosemary Allen (left) with Sue Ash andVeronica Armstrong from the office at theMayor’s tea dance for the Friends in theGuildhall.

Soon she was decorating the windowin the Friends’ old office. Manypeople will remember her Christmasand Easter displays.

When the Friends began holdingregular events, Rosemary’sexperience of running theCathedral’s Sunday morning coffeerota for seven years meant she was anatural for helping at the Friends’annual volunteers’ tea party in theCanon Treasurer’s garden, the twice-yearly coffee mornings in the BellTower Tearooms and one-off eventssuch as the Mayor’s tea dance. Shehas also been a steward at theannual open gardens event.

“It’s great fun, I so enjoy it,” shesays.

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Former Friends’ secretary KateBeckett is delighted with the

Chicksgrove stone bird bathpresented to her to mark herretirement after nearly 11 years inthe role.

The bird bath, which was designedby Cathedral Clerk of the Works GaryPrice and carved by his masons andan apprentice, has taken pride ofplace in her Downton garden.

She said: “I would like to thank themembers, they have been sogenerous.

“The bird bath is gorgeous and Inever expected that level ofgenerosity.

“It was wonderful to see so manyFriends at my leaving party — I wasoverwhelmed.

“I want to thank everyone for theirkindness and the interest they haveshown in the Friends. It has been aprivilege to serve such lovelypeople.”

More than 100 people gathered inthe refectory at the end of July tobid Kate a fond farewell. She wasalso given a cheque and a bouquet offlowers.

Rosemary has some advice for boththe recently-retired and the long-retired: “Get involved and keep onvolunteering through the bad times,such as when you have beenwidowed,” she says.

“Volunteering will see you throughthose bad times.

“And for single people whose life hasbeen their work, retirement canmake them feel no longer needed.

“To volunteer is to be needed, andthe great thing about it is that itexposes you to a wider circle ofpeople and stops you feelingisolated. I would recommend it toanyone.”

� If you are interested involunteering for the Friends, contactthe office on 01722 335161 or555190.

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Rosemary Allen (left) and Sue Ash greetmembers attending Friends' Day with awelcome cup of tea or coffee.

We were delighted to have ournew president Dean Nicholas

Papadopulos at Friends’ Day inSeptember. Here is a summary of hisaddress.

It didn’t feel quite right to be theone welcoming the Friends to theCathedral, the Dean said in hisopening remarks.

“So many of you have spent thismorning welcoming me to this place,it hardly seems my place to welcomeyou!” he said.

“The second reason is that when youcome to a place that is your home,there’s no need for a welcomebecause it is a place that youbelong.”

He paid tribute to previous DeanJune Osborne and Canon ChancellorEd Probert, who had been actingDean during the vacancy.

He recalled his time as Chaplain tothe Bishop of Salisbury in the early

2000s and was returning to Salisburyfrom Canterbury, which claimed tohave the oldest Friends’ Associationin the country.

He said: “During my time there theFriends celebrated their 90th

anniversary and one of thechallenges the Dean set was thateach of us was tasked with raising£90 to represent 90 years.

“I made 30 jars of jam and chutneyand sold them for £3 each. You havebeen warned!”

He continued: “They say you canjudge a person by his or her friendsand you can say the same aboutCathedrals. It gives me great delightto be with you.”

� Friends’ treasurer Chris Dragonettireported that the success in meetingall grant requests (£98,000 of which£74,000 represented the annual

From left: Friends’ secretary Julia Lever,treasurer Chris Dragonetti, president DeanNicholas Papadopulos and Chairman CaptainDuncan Glass pictured at the 88th annualmeeting in September.

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payment for Little Paradise) hadbeen achieved despite income fallingfrom £238,000 to £212,000. This wasdue to reduced income frommemberships and legacies. Eventshad raised £40,000.

As well as meeting the LittleParadise commitment, the Friendshad been able to make grants to theyouth choir, for lighting,microphones and the Beyond theLibrary Door project.

The cost of putting on events hadbeen £22,000 and there was a£10,000 cost for annual report Spire

and the twice-yearly newsletters.Total expenditure had been £79,000(previous year £82,000).� Friends’ secretary Julia Leverdescribed the year as “thriving andbuoyant” and said she felt“privileged to have taken up thereins” as secretary.

Membership stood in March 2018 at3,300 and events had been wellattended. The 2019 events had beenplanned.

She thanked Veronica and Sue in theoffice, volunteers and members forall their help.

A group of Friends visiting the Henry Lamb exhibition at the Salisbury Museum.

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ON Friends’ Day two new trustees were elected to serve for three years,Lucinda Herklots and Katharine Shearing.

Katharine Shearing

Lucinda has just stepped downafter 14 years as Diocesan

Secretary for the Diocese ofSalisbury, a role equivalent to thechief executive of a company.

She was a member of the nationalchurch Dioceses Commission,chairman of the National DiocesanSecretaries’ Group, a member of theArchbishop’s Council finance andinvestment committees, and trusteeof two charities.

She is a governor of Salisbury DistrictHospital NHS Trust and chairman ofits organ donation committee.

She is a lay canon of the Cathedraland volunteers as a steward.

Formerly Lucinda was an electronicsengineer and strategic marketingdirector of Thales e-Transactionsgroup.

She is also a past president ofSalisbury & District Chamber ofCommerce and Industry.

Katharine briefly read law beforeswitching to banking and

becoming a business manager atHSBC’s (formerly Midland Bank’s)enterprise centre in Yeovil.

She left to pursue a career injournalism, gaining the newspaperindustry examination board’snational award for interview in theyear she qualified.

She worked for the Salisbury Journalfor nearly 20 years before leaving togo freelance.

She became the founding editor ofBlackmore Vale Media’s magazine forShaftesbury.

More recently, she has worked forthe Diocese of Salisbury as PA to theArchdeacons of Sarum and Wilts.

She was elected as a trustee of theFriends in 2014 and has worked toraise awareness of the Friends in thelocal media.

Lucinda Herklots

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The Friends’ Day lecture by DrJonathan Foyle, architectural

historian and former curator ofhistoric buildings for the HistoricRoyal Palaces, encouraged us to lookat Salisbury Cathedral with fresheyes.

Dr Foyle, who is familiar to many forhis TV programme Climbing GreatBuildings and his books onCanterbury and Lincoln cathedrals,chose ‘English cathedrals asmedieval flower gardens’ as thesubject of his illustrated talk.

He announced that it was hisbirthday and it was wonderful “to bein such a great venue speaking onthis lovely topic”.

He explained that dedicatingSalisbury Cathedral to the VirginMary was taken “utterly seriously”,and the use of flowers and plants asreligious symbols was how cathedralsexpressed themselves.

He began with a painting of Marywithin her ‘defended paradise’garden, surrounded by a variety ofspring flowers.

“Spring was such a relief before (theage of) supermarkets and freezersand represented warmth, plenty andregeneration,” he explained.

He quoted texts from Exodus, Kings,the Song of Solomon and John, whichrefer to buds and petals, palm treesand flowers, lilies and vines.

Roses, anemones, vines,strawberries, lilies, acorns,aubergines, mandrakes andcolumbines all had symbolicmeanings.

He said the Virgin Mary had beendepicted being carried up intoheaven, demonstrating her status asthe Queen of heaven and her powerof regeneration.

And she was often shown inside acrenellated walled garden to portrayher as both a woman and a fortress— the fortress representing hervirginal purity.

Another painting showed her as thecentral stem of a tree with thebranches or twigs representingconduits of life.

Dr Jonathan Foyle, who gave the Friends’Day lecture. He is pictured with the floraldisplay by Salisbury Cathedral flowerarrangers who provided it as a thank you forthe Friends’ annual £3,000 contribution tothe flowers in the Cathedral.

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An example of floral imagery in the NorthTransept of Salisbury Cathedral.

The stained glass at Salisbury wasalso linked to Mary.

“The light of Christ comes through(the glass) and reminds people ofMary — it is a symbol of her purity,”he said.

“She is often depicted with roses:the white rose represents virginity,the red charity — charity being thegiving of her son’s blood to man.From that blood comesregeneration.

“Plants were the key tounderstanding the earth and clues tothe heaven that lay beyond.”

Many of you were present at theinstitution and installation of

our Dean — and president of ourFriends’ Association - the Very RevdNicholas Papadopulos, who hasjoined us from Canterbury. Theservice in September, presided overby Bishop of Salisbury the Rt RevdNicholas Holtam, was attended byLord Lieutenants of Wiltshire andDorset Sarah Troughton and AngusCampbell (as the Queen’srepresentatives), Mayor of SalisburyMike Osment and Dean of Canterburythe Very Revd Robert Willis. Alsopresent were senior clergy from theDiocese of Salisbury’s partnershiplinks with Riga in Latvia and Juba inSouth Sudan.

Loud and long applause rang out forNicholas Papadopulos following hisinstitution and installation as the 81st

Dean of Salisbury.

That welcome from the hundredsgathered in Salisbury Cathedral was

reflected in his sermon as herecalled the warm welcome he hadreceived throughout his summerholiday in Israel and the occupiedPalestinian territories.

He told of a woman clinging withone hand to the overhead strap on atram, while clutching a copy of theScriptures with the other, and of two

The Very Revd Nicholas Papadopulos, picturedshortly after his institution and installation.

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little girls waving from behind asteel mesh-covered upstairs window.

“Stallholders and shopkeepers,unused to the sight of visitors, calledout ‘where are you from?Welcome’,” he said. “Visitors toHebron represent hope.

“My snapshots capture the heart of acathedral’s vocation — one that canbe prayed as well on the tram as inthe church. Jerusalem and Hebronare holy places: so too is Salisbury.”

They had in common the three-foldvocation to prayer, justice andhospitality, he said.

“Prayer is when we hold ourselvesaccountable to God. Here we offerourselves to God, confident he willdo His work in us,” he said.

“The pursuit of justice is when wehold ourselves accountable to oneanother — the cruel attacks on ourfellow citizens in this city have madethis vocation ever more urgent.

“We pray for the peace of Hebron,Juba, Riga and Salisbury - and forjustice for their people.

“And welcome is when we holdourselves accountable to the stranger.This is an exceptional place, but it isnot our Promised Land to be enjoyedto the exclusion of others. It belongsto all because all belong to God.

“This cathedral is yours and yourpresence among us is a sign of hopeto us. Where are you from? Welcome!

“We inhabit the era of the strongman; we hear loud voices full of fearand hate; we strain at the ties thatbind us.

“Accountability is sneered at. Weneed to reclaim it as an imperativeof the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

“Cathedrals are places whereaccountability is practised: the dailydiscipline of opening ourselves tothe stranger, the daily pursuit ofjustice in the community and thedaily practice of holding ourselvesaccountable to the holy one.

“We must be at peace with God,with one another and with thestranger.

“Gathered beneath this gloriousspire, which soars heavenwards andrequires us all to lift our eyes, thatis our vocation.”

Bishop of Salisbury the Rt Revd NicholasHoltam presides at the institution andinstallation of our new Dean, the Very RevdNicholas Papadopulos (kneeling), watched byBishop's Chaplain the Revd Tony Monds.

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The 2018 Friends’ holiday was tothe walled city of Chester. Here

are some memories of the trip fromVeronica Armstrong and AnneChapman. A full version of theirarticle will appear in next year’sSpire.

The holiday to Chester was full ofsunshine, beautiful gardens, splendidhouses and wonderful experiences.

On the way up we visitedWolverhampton’s Wightwick Manor,with interiors inspired by the Arts &Crafts movement.

The first morning in Chester was aguided walk along the great walls tosee where the Romans founded theirfortress of Deva circa AD74, and howthe city extended during the Saxonand later Middle Ages.

In the afternoon there was a guidedtour of the Cathedral and the dayended with tea in the originalrefectory with the Friends of ChesterCathedral and Evensong in the Quire.

The following morning we shopped inthe two-storeyed Rows or exploredthe city further before everyoneenjoyed a boat trip on the River Dee.

In the evening there was aperformance of the Medieval MysteryPlays.

The next day there was a trip toArley Hall, the family home of LordAshbrook.

Jodrell Bank Observatory was thedestination for the afternoon.

The final day took in 17th centuryHanbury Hall, the home of theVernon family.

Its gardens provided a last chancefor a wander together around thesunken parterres, orchards andlawns before the holiday ended.

“Remember to look up at the starsand not down at your feet. Try tomake sense of what you see andwonder about what makes theuniverse exist. Be curious. Andhowever difficult life may seem,there is always something you cando and succeed at. It matters thatyou don’t just give up.”

Stephen HawkingMathematician, Physicist

How remarkable, writes Veronica,that a few days after the intermentof Stephen Hawking’s ashes inWestminster Abbey, we should visitJodrell Bank and see a performanceof the Chester Mystery Plays. Enjoying the sunshine.

FRIENDSNEWS 19

The Mystery Plays enacted inChester Cathedral have their roots inthe medieval origins of theMysteries, performed by Benedictinemonks at the Feast of Corpus Christi.Due to their popularity, other Biblestories were added and ordinarycitizens became involved. Plays andplayers became ever moreboisterous and bawdy so that theAbbot decreed the Guild companiesperform them at their own expense!The plays reflect the strong religiousbeliefs that were held in a CatholicEngland at the time, and a deepknowledge of the Bible stories.

I was struck by how forcefullycontemporary they remain. Therewere challenges for the produceraware of making the stories clear foran audience who today might not befamiliar with the Bible stories.

What an interesting bit ofjuxtaposition it was that placed ourvisit to Jodrell Bank on the day afterthe Chester Mystery Plays, writes

Anne. That had been a spirituallyuplifting experience because itshowed the work of God through theages. The next day we saw thewonder of how it was done!

The Hubble telescope, the thirdlargest in the world, scans theuniverse feeding back informationand data about other galaxies, blackholes, pulsars, neutron stars andother wondrous things.

We were given a talk under theOrrery to demonstrate how our solarsystem works. Afterwards we walkedto the visitors’ centre, where we hada play with models demonstratingthe effects of pulsars on plasma andmade a marble disappear down a‘black hole’ — great fun.

On our way out of the complex, theautomatic exit barrier jammed, andwe were stuck waiting for over 15minutes until someone acquired acrowbar and, resorting to physicalman-power, smashed the barrier,allowing us to drive out, smiling andpossibly comforted?

Friends admire the sculpture in theCathedral cloisters.

Jodrell Bank.

20 FRIENDSNEWS

Aspire to Encounter God

In front of England’s tallest spireWe dare to enter sacred spaceAnd as we gaze towards the QuireWe sense a blessing in this placeFor here where many a foot has trodWe stand inside a house of God.

A sturdy clock records the timeWhich all the while goes fleeting

pastAnd though its bells no longer chimeThe turning wheels are made to lastSo let us pause while here on earthConsider that which is of worth.

The Font’s still surface like a glassReflects our image as we nearAlthough our impulse is to passA scripture bids us not to fearAnd while we may have sense of

shameThe Lord Himself calls us by name.

Within the Quire ascends our praiseRobed choristers and organ soundMusic and voice to heaven raiseAnd shake with joy both arch and

groundIn praise of God the whole year longAt Eucharist and Evensong.

In each small chapel many a soulHas found a solace from the crowdGod searches us and makes us wholeHe speaks in silence when allowedThough many yet find these words odd‘Be still and know that I am God.’

The East End window paints the scene

When Jesus died upon the crossAnd yet He rose again to lifeEternal. We shall never suffer lossIf only we will ask Him inTo save our souls from death and sin.

Touched by the Lord we leave this place

We go our way transformed by loveFor we have met Him face to faceChanged by His Spirit, like a doveEnriched by presence and His Word We go in peace to serve the Lord.

The Revd Bill Smith is a member of the Friends and Head Chaplain atSalisbury Cathedral. He says: “Over the years I have observed where

visitors stop and wonder, are still and approach the chaplains as we walkround on our pastoral duties.”

Here he shares a poem he haswritten based on where peoplewalk and pause as they enterthe Cathedral.

FRIENDSNEWS 21

Agroup of Friends, accompaniedby Veronica from the office,

visited Douai Abbey at the end ofOctober. Here Veronica shares somememories of a happy and successfultrip.

Having learned that the library andarchives of the Benedictine monkswho live here in the Close are nowhoused at Douai Abbey in Berkshire,it seemed an appropriate place tovisit. So on a beautiful autumn daywe set off to discover more.

After a warm welcome with coffeeand biscuits in the guest refectory,Abbot Geoffrey explained thebackground story of the BenedictineOrder and its chequered history,finally moving from France toEngland in 1903.

The library and archive buildinghouses not only a fascinatingcollection of more than 100,000

books but also numerous paintingsand sculptures.

The church was the highlight of thevisit, seen at its best with thesunshine streaming in through theplain glass and small coloured lights,bathing the stone in light and colour.The present abbey church is acomposite of old and new and theoverriding impression is one of unity,drawn together through space andlight with the altar at the centralintersection between the old andnew builds. The new section gives animpression of the upturned hull of aship with its soaring buttressesarching upwards. Its excellentacoustics make it a popular concertvenue and we enjoyed a shortservice here before a simple lunch ofsoup and homemade bread in therefectory. Altogether a truly lovely day out toan inspiring abbey.

Douai Abbey: Church interior

22 FRIENDSNEWS

From Darkness to LightIlluminations | Monday 3 December— Sunday 3 FebruaryFREEImmerse yourself in this spectacularand unique set of light installationsacross the Close and Cathedral thatcelebrates the journey of Advent toChristmas.

Twilight Tower Tours | Monday 3December — Friday 7 December15:00 & 15:15Adults £17.50, Under 18s £12.50,Family Ticket £48Take in Salisbury’s spectacularwinter illuminations from the baseof the spire!

'Songs of the Light' ConcertWednesday 5 December | 19:30Tickets £10—£20, (family discountsavailable)Join us for an evening of immersivemusic and light performancesaround the Cathedral.

G4 Christmas | Friday 7 December19:30—21:30Tickets available online from £15G4 bring a number of timeless classics,following their sell-out tour in 2017.

BBC Wiltshire Carols at theCathedral | Saturday 8 December17:00—18:00Adults from £6, Children from£2.50.  Wheelchair users will be inthe South Transept and will includeone free carer/companion ticket. Join BBC Wiltshire for their liverecording of ‘Carols at theCathedral’ to be transmitted on BBCWiltshire on Christmas Eve andChristmas Day morning.

Twilight Tower Tours | Monday 10December — Saturday 22 December15:00 & 15:15 on Monday toSaturday, 14:45 on SundayAdults £17.50, Under 18s £12.50,Family Ticket £48

Handel's Messiah | Saturday 15December | 19:00—21:30Tickets £10—£30, available online.Come and see this specialperformance of one of the best-known Christmas choral works.

From Darkness to Light Illuminations

Handel's Messiah

Salisbury Cathedral events 

FRIENDSNEWS 23

Christmouse Trail | Saturday 22December 2018 to Sunday 6January 2019 | 09:00—16:00,except during servicesFREEGo on our Christmas trail to help thelittle Christmouse who can’t find hisway to the stable in Bethlehem.

Christmas Creativity | Saturday 22December | 10:00—12:00& 13:00—15:00FREELet the kids get creative and crafttheir Christmas own decorations,cards or small gifts.

Christmas Story Time | Saturday 22December | 12:00—12:20& 15:00—15:20FREEMeet us at theNativity and joinus for a Christmasstory.

The Friends of Salisbury CathedralRegistered Office: 33a The Close, Salisbury SP1 2EJ

Open Tues - Fri 9.30am — 1.00 pm

Telephone: (01722) 335161 or 555190 Email: friends@salcath.co.ukwww.salisburycathedralfriends.co.uk

The Association is registered with the Charity Commission No. 243439

President: The Very Revd Nicholas Papadopulos; Chairman: Captain Duncan Glass; Treasurer:Chris Dragonetti; Executive Secretary: Julia Lever; Newsletter editor: Katharine Shearing.

Printed by Sarum Colourview LtdTel: 01722 343600 Fax: 01722 343614 Email sales@colourview.co.uk

Artwork by Firefly Graphics Tel: 01980 863315 Email: fireflygraphics@yahoo.co.uk

Photos by permission of: Salisbury Cathedral (Ash Mills copyright), Katharine Shearing,Veronica Armstrong, Tricia Glass, Bill Smith, Anthony Chappel-Ross (copyright).

Pictures of Stratfield Saye and Douai Abbey copyright.

Copyright The Friends of Salisbury Cathedral 2018

From Darkness to Light Illuminations

FROM DARKNESS TO LIGHT:THE ADVENT PROCESSIONFriday 30th November 19:00 – 20:15Saturday 1st December 19:00 – 20:15Sunday 2nd December 17:00 – 18:15FREEJoin us for this spectacular evening of light andcarols to start the Christmas season. Doorsopen 18:00. (Sunday: doors open 16:00).

CAROLS BY CANDLELIGHTSaturday 22 December 19:00 - 20:15FREEJoin us to celebrate the festive season as thestory of the birth of Jesus is told through choralsung work by the Cathedral choir, readings andcarols. Doors open at 18:00.

CAROLS BY CANDLELIGHTSunday 23 December 17:00 - 18:15FREEJoin us to celebrate the festive season as thestory of the birth of Jesus is told through choralsung work by the Cathedral choir, readings andcarols. Doors open at 16:00

A FAMILY SERVICE FORCHRISTMAS EVEMonday 24 December 15:30 - 16:30FREEEnjoy this short family friendly service which isfilled with carols, giant puppets and a realdonkey.

CHRISTMAS EVEMonday 24th December Choral Evensong on Christmas Eve 17:30Midnight Mass 23:00

CHRISTMAS DAYTuesday 25th December Holy Communion 08:00The Eucharist on Christmas Day 10:30Festal Evensong on Christmas Day 15:00

Sunday 20th January 2019Epiphany Procession 17:00

Advent, Christmas andEpiphany servicesat Salisbury Cathedral

Further details online atsalisburycathedral.org.uk

FROM DARKNESS TO LIGHT:THE ADVENT PROCESSIONFriday 30th November 19:00 – 20:15Saturday 1st December 19:00 – 20:15Sunday 2nd December 17:00 – 18:15FREEJoin us for this spectacular evening of light andcarols to start the Christmas season. Doorsopen 18:00. (Sunday: doors open 16:00).

CAROLS BY CANDLELIGHTSaturday 22 December 19:00 - 20:15FREEJoin us to celebrate the festive season as thestory of the birth of Jesus is told through choralsung work by the Cathedral choir, readings andcarols. Doors open at 18:00.

CAROLS BY CANDLELIGHTSunday 23 December 17:00 - 18:15FREEJoin us to celebrate the festive season as thestory of the birth of Jesus is told through choralsung work by the Cathedral choir, readings andcarols. Doors open at 16:00

A FAMILY SERVICE FORCHRISTMAS EVEMonday 24 December 15:30 - 16:30FREEEnjoy this short family friendly service which isfilled with carols, giant puppets and a realdonkey.

CHRISTMAS EVEMonday 24th December Choral Evensong on Christmas Eve 17:30Midnight Mass 23:00

CHRISTMAS DAYTuesday 25th December Holy Communion 08:00The Eucharist on Christmas Day 10:30Festal Evensong on Christmas Day 15:00

Sunday 20th January 2019Epiphany Procession 17:00

Advent, Christmas andEpiphany servicesat Salisbury Cathedral