PRESS RELEASE Graeme Pringle - Diocese of Coventry To: News desk From: Christine Doyle – Coventry Cathedral [email protected] Date: 16 Feb 2013 Email: [email protected] 024 7652 1336 - Graeme 07507 196 495 - Graeme Office: Mobile: 024 7452 1226 - Christine 07769 738 180 - Christine New Archbishop returns to Coventry Lambeth Palace has confirmed that the new Archbishop of Canterbury will be visiting Coventry on Friday 15 March. Archbishop Justin Welby was ordained in Coventry Cathedral in 1992 and he spent the next fifteen years serving the people of Coventry and Warwickshire as a Church of England minister. This culminated in his role at the Cathedral as Canon for Peace and Reconciliation, prior to leaving for his post as Dean of Liverpool in 2007. Coventry is one of just five dioceses that Archbishop Justin will be visiting in the days leading up to his enthronement at Canterbury Cathedral. He will be inviting as many people as possible to join him on this 'Journey in Prayer'. The Archbishop will visit one city on each day of the journey, and spend that day in prayer. Both adults and children will have an opportunity to pray in ways that reflect the rich variety of Christian traditions. The Bishop of Coventry, The Right Reverend Dr Christopher Cocksworth, said that it will be an enormous joy and privilege to welcome the Archbishop back to Coventry. He said: “Our new Archbishop of Canterbury is no stranger to the Diocese of Coventry and its remarkable Cathedral. He contributed an enormous amount to the life of church and society in Coventry and Warwickshire over the first 15 years (1992-2007) of his ministry, and the Cathedral's work for peace and reconciliation is deeply in his bones. So it will be an enormous joy and privilege to welcome Archbishop Justin back to Coventry and to join him in prayer. I hope many people across Coventry, Warwickshire and the region will take this wonderful opportunity to be alongside a person of prayer as he seeks God's strength and vision for all that lies ahead.” The day’s programme will begin at 9:00 am in Broadgate (Coventry city centre). He will be greeted by The Lord Mayor of Coventry and other well-wishers prior to a short procession to Coventry Cathedral. It has been confirmed that there will be free admission to the Cathedral throughout the day, and hundreds of people are expected to join the Archbishop for a wide range of activities. Adults and children of all ages will be most welcome. Archbishop Justin will be departing from the Cathedral at 3:15 pm. -ends- Page 1 Note to Editors 1. Photo and interview opportunity Local press will have the opportunity for photos and brief interviews with Archbishop Justin at 9:00 am in Broadgate, Coventry. Due to the tight schedule of the visit, arrangements for interviews must be made in advance with Graeme Pringle (contact details below). 2. For further enquires Please contact one of the following: Graeme Pringle Christine Doyle Diocese of Coventry Communication Officer Coventry Cathedral 024 7652 1336 024 7452 1226 07507 196 495 07769 738 180 [email protected] [email protected] 3. The Archbishop’s Enthronement On 21st March the Archbishop's public ministry will be inaugurated at Canterbury Cathedral. Bishops from the Church of England, Primates of the wider Anglican Communion and many ecumenical guests will attend the service. The new Archbishop will be installed in two places in the Cathedral - the diocesan ‘cathedra’ in the Cathedral Quire as the bishop of the diocese of Canterbury, and the Chair of St Augustine as Archbishop of Canterbury. The service will be broadcast live on BBC2 starting at 2:30pm. 4. Journey of Prayer In the days leading up to his enthronement, the Archbishop Justin will make a ‘Journey of Prayer’ in five dioceses: Thursday 14th March – Norwich Friday 15th March - Coventry Saturday 16th March - London & Southwark Monday 18th March - Truro Tuesday 19th March - Chichester 5. Photo of Archbishop Justin wearing the Coventry Cross of Nails Archbishop Justin regularly wears his Coventry Cross of Nails. A high resolution version of the following photo is available on request. © Andrew Dunsmore Page 2 6. Community of the Cross of Nails The Coventry Cross of Nails is recognised around the world as a symbol of peace and reconciliation. Formed with three medieval nails from the destroyed St Michael’s Cathedral, it embodies its ministry of hope and friendship with Germany in the years after 1945. With the rebuilding of Coventry Cathedral in 1962, the Cross of Nails (the original is embedded in the high altar cross) became the focal point of a growing international ministry of reconciliation. Today CCN Partners are to be found in many of the world’s major conflict areas. They include churches and community groups, as well as peace building and reconciliation agencies. 7. Why a ‘Cross of Nails’? Following the bombing of Coventry’s medieval cathedral on the 14th of November 1940, a local priest, the Rev'd Arthur Wales, created a cross by binding together three of the huge medieval nails that littered the debris. The Cross of Nails has become a poignant symbol of Coventry’s international ministry of reconciliation. Page 3 .