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Canterbury
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FACTS
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| The
first Archbishop of Canterbury was St Augustine who arrived
on the coast of Kent as a missionary to England in 597 AD.
Until
the 10th century, the Cathedral community was a family of
clergy, living a regulated life as the household of the Archbishop.
It wasn't until 998 that they were living by the Rule of St.
Benedict as a formal monastic community. The Benedictine community
of monks continued until the monastery was dissolved in 1540.
The
present Archbishop, George Carey, is 103rd in the line of
succession.
Canterbury
Cathedral is linked to the lives of many great ecclesiastical
figures including the Saints of Canterbury – Augustine,
Theodore, Odo, Dunstan, Alphege, Anselm, Thomas and Edmund
- all of whom were Archbishops of Canterbury.
Thomas
Becket was murdered in Canterbury Cathedral on 29 December
1170. Appointed by King Henry II, to bring the Church to the
heel of the monarchy, he did the reverse. Four knights came
to Canterbury and killed the Archbishop in his own Cathedral.
The
murder of Thomas Becket provided the Cathedral with a powerful
attraction to pilgrims, who came to Canterbury in enormous
numbers to make offerings.
The
murder of Thomas Becket inspired T.S. Eliot's play "Murder
in the Cathedral".
During
the Reformation, Canterbury had a series of distinguished
Archbishops including Thomas Cranmer, who compiled the first
two Prayer Books.
During
the Civil War, the Cathedral was sacked by the Puritans (1642).
In
1982 Pope John Paul II visited Canterbury and with Archbishop
Robert Runcie prayed at the site of St Thomas Becket’s
martyrdom.
Canterbury
Cathedral is a building of world-wide significance in terms
of its architecture and artefacts as well as being one of
the great holy places of Christendom.
Canterbury
Cathedral has twenty-one bells.
Every
day Morning Prayer is said and Evening Prayer is sung in Canterbury
Cathedral. The Eucharist is also offered daily. On Sundays
the Sung Eucharist is at 11.00am.
The
current Archbishop of Canterbury was born in Bow, London in
1935.
George
Carey was educated at King's College, London and the London
College of Divinity.
George
Carey's first job was an office boy with the London Electricity
Board. At 18 he did his National Service in the RAF.
After
his time in the RAF, George Carey returned to the Electricity
Board, but had already decided to seek ordination. He graduated
with a degree in divinity (BD) in 1962 - and was ordained
deacon in the same year.
The
main roles of the Archbishop of Canterbury are:
- Diocesan Bishop
- Primate of all England
- Chaplain to the Nation
- Leader of the Anglican Communion around the world
- ecumenical role and international contacts
- inter-faith role
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Five
million tourists, worshippers and pilgrims flock to the cathedral
every year.
At the end of October 2002, the cathedral's figurehead, George Carey,
retired as the 103rd Archbishop of Canterbury. It marked the end
of an era for both the cathedral and its current Archbishop.
Meet
George Carey
Archbishop Carey has been at the centre of English life and the
Anglican church for over 11 years.
He's
led two royal funerals - the Queen Mother's this year, and Princess
Diana's in 1997.
In
between conducting religious ceremonies and major state events,
the Archbishop travels extensively. His
travels have taken him to war zones like Rwanda.
He's
also championed the cause of women, bringing about the first ordination
of women priests.
So
will the Archbishop be hanging up his robes and taking life easy
when he retires?
"I'm
going to rest a bit, and will enjoy ordinary things. My wife and
I enjoy music, theatre, walking, visit friends," says the Archbishop.
You're
also likely to find him doing a touch of fishing.
Go on a virtual
tour of Canterbury
Cathedral life
Keeping the cathedral ticking is a tough job with more than 1,000
years of wear and tear to cope with.
The task calls for a team of 200 staff and 500 volunteers to keep
the cathedral looking in tip top condition for thousands of visitors.
One
of the biggest jobs is preserving the building itself for future
generations.
Labour
of love
There's a huge team of conservationists working to preserve the
masonry, stained glass windows, and historic treasures.
Nine
stone masons work around the clock to keep the cathedral building
looking in perfect condition. It's a never-ending task.
The
stone masonry team uses many of the same tools and methods as the
original builders, whilst also employing the very latest in modern
conservation techniques.
Life inside the cathedral is tranquil and calm, but behind the scenes
it's a hive of activity.
The
Archbishop works closely with his team of clerics and cathedral
staff.
The
Dean, the Canon, the Canon Treasurer, the Archdeacon, and the Master
of the Choristers look after the religious side of cathedral life.
The
conservation team includes an archivist, a stained glass restoration
team, and stone masons.
There's
also a busy administrative team - the librarian, the head of visitor
services, the receiver general,the education officer and cathedral
shop manager. The list is endless...and also includes an army of volunteers.
New Archbishop
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Williams:
The 104th Archbishop of Canterbury
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The new
Archbishop, Dr Rowan Williams, steps into the most important role
in the English church next February. He'll
be enthroned in early 2003 in a major ceremony. More
on this story >>
Dr
Williams is looking forward to the challenge, "An enormous
trust has been placed in my hands, and I can only approach it with
a degree of awe as well as gratitude that I have been thought worthy
of it."
"Archbishop Carey has set a very high standard," he says.
"I
hope with all my heart that I can serve to nurture confidence and
conviction in our Church, and to help Christian faith to capture
the imagination of our people and our culture."
The future of the cathedral looks safe in the hands of its incoming
Archbishop and his hard working team.
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