An exhibition sharing the story of the Christian faith in Sussex, revealed through people, events and objects, from 1075 to the present day.

To mark our 950th anniversary, we are delighted to present Religion, Rebellion & Reformation, an exhibition sharing the story of the Christian faith in Sussex, revealed through people, events and treasures, from 1075 to the present day.

The exhibition, which runs from 14th February - 15th November 2025, features fascinating artefacts from across the Diocese of Chichester, spanning East and West Sussex. Each object reveals remarkable moments and people from history.

Highlights include:
- Bejewelled rings and intricately decorated staffs and croziers owned and worn by the influential bishops of the Middle Ages.
- Comparing a delicate bronze Medieval crucifix, unearthed in a churchyard in Coombes, with a simple wooden cross fashioned from duck board by a WWI soldier in the trenches.
- A pocket-sized Bible donated by the Sussex Regiment, containing a pressed flower from Macedonia, where its owner served on the front line.
- The inspiring story of a group of wealthy and well-connected women who defied societal norms to help establish the first Anglican sisterhood, The Society of St Margaret, in 1854. Read their journals to explore how their tireless work brought lifesaving care to the sick and destitute in East Grinstead and beyond.
- Meeting Reginald Peacock, a Bishop of Chichester and the first theologian to write in English—a bold act that ultimately led to his condemnation as a heretic.

These and many other fascinating artefacts will allow visitors to discover nine centuries of hidden histories and to reflect on the enduring role of faith during times of hardship and change.

Religion, Rebellion & Reformation has been curated by the Cathedral’s Canon Treasurer, the Reverend Canon Vanessa Baron, Visitor Experience Manager Rebecca Lewry-Gray, and designed by Chichester-based design team StudioMoo.

Please visit the Cathedral website, clicking the 'Worship' link at the top of the page, for a list of our daily services to which everyone is warmly invited.

Our service takes place every Sunday at 9.15am and lasts approximately 35 minutes.

We currently meet in the Lady Chapel.

If you're not sure where this is, come to the main entrance (The West Door) and ask a steward to point you in the right direction.

We look forward to welcoming you, having fun and learning about Jesus together.

Q&As

Will we be expected to remain silent throughout the service?

We’re expecting noise and participation from children, parents/guardians and grandparents alike!

Who can attend a service at the Cathedral?

Everyone is welcome to attend services at Chichester Cathedral. For many, this may be their first time visiting the Cathedral - you and your family are warmly welcome. We look forward to meeting you very soon!

What facilities are at the Cathedral?

Toilet facilities are available in Vicars' Hall (including an accessible toilet).
Buggies and pushchairs can be parked inside the Hall. There is lift access from the Hall's Main Entrance.

There are a number of cafes and eateries a short distance from the Cathedral. Visit the Chichester BID website to find out more.

How do I get to the Cathedral?

The Cathedral is in the heart of Chichester, close to the Market Cross, the centrepoint of the City’s main pedestrianised shopping streets. The Cathedral’s postcode is PO19 1RP.

By car, approach from the M27 (A27) and turn northwards at one of the bypass roundabouts following signs for the city centre. Visitors arriving by car should aim for one of the many public car parks around the City.

The Cathedral is less than a 10 minute walk from Chichester’s Train Station, and is opposite a bus stop.

Do I need to reserve a space?

No, there's no need to reserve a space. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to get in touch:

E:[email protected]

Join us for this reflective day, led by Revd Canon Dr Earl Collins

After a celebration of the Eucharist in the Lady Chapel, Dr Collins will speak (in George Bell House, 4 Canon Lane) on The Baptism of Jesus, The Transfiguration of Jesus, The Exaltation of Jesus and The Comings of Jesus, interspersed with time for prayer, contemplation and silence.

The day concludes with Choral Evensong in the Cathedral.

Please register with [email protected].

Spaces cost £20.00 for the day, please bring a packed lunch.

All are welcome to join us in this opportunity to deepen our relationship with God.

Join us for an hour of personal prayer and adoration as we sit, silently, with Jesus Christ our Saviour, present in the Blessed Sacrament.

When?

Wednesdays 12th, 19th, 26th March; 2nd, 9th, 16th April (2.30pm – 3.30pm)

Join us behind the scenes in the Cathedral Library.

On the first Tuesday of each month the Library will be open to the public from 10.00am to 12.00pm. You can find the entrance to the Library within the Cathedral Treasury and Shop, located in the North Transept. Please note that access to the Library requires ascending a narrow spiral staircase.

Our knowledge of the Library is partial but a reasonable number of books can be traced back as far as the late 12th century. The Library also has some intriguing stained glass windows and unusually well-preserved stone corbels.

If you would like to find out more please contact the Sub-Librarians at: [email protected] or on 01243 813587. Please note that email is the best way to get in touch, as the library is only staffed for a few hours each week

Join the Chichester Cathedral Friends for a coffee, biscuits and a catch up on the first Saturday of the month in the Cathedral’s South Transept at 10.00am - 11.15am.

Everyone is welcome at all of our events. You can also bring a friend, so please come and join us! No booking required - just pop in.

All are welcome to join our special services during Holy Week & Easter

8.00am - Holy Communion according to the Book of Common Prayer (said)
9.15am - Service for Children, Families and Caregivers
10.15am - Choral Mattins
11.15am – Sung Eucharist with Procession of Palms (also livestreamed)
Our service begins outside on the south-east corner of the Cathedral Green. Palms are blessed, and we process along West Street into the Cathedral, recalling Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem, and the beginning of his journey to death and resurrection. When the congregation reaches the Cathedral the service continues with a dramatic reading of the Passion.
3.00pm - Choral Evensong (also livestreamed)

All are welcome to join our special services during Holy Week & Easter.

Compline is a service of quietness and reflection before rest at the end of the day. It derives its name from the Latin word for "completion", referring to the completion of the waking day.

Choral Compline will be held at 8.00pm on Monday and Tuesday of Holy Week (14th and 15th April). With music sung by the Lay Vicars of the Cathedral Choir.

All are welcome to join our special services during Holy Week & Easter.

7.45am - Morning Prayer said
8.00am - Holy Communion
12.00noon - Diocesan Chrism Eucharist
The Chrism Eucharist brings the clergy and laity of the diocese together to renew their commitment to follow Christ. The clergy renew their ordination vows before the Bishop, and the Oils of the sick, of baptism and of chrism are blessed. At the end of the service, the oils are distributed for use in parishes throughout the diocese.
Celebrant and Preacher: The Lord Bishop of Chichester, The Right Reverend Dr Martin Warner
3.00pm - Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament
8.00pm - Tenebrae: The Liturgy of Shadows
A service of readings, reflection and organ music. Candles are lit, and extinguished, as we recount Jesus’ last days.

All are welcome to join our special services during Holy Week & Easter.

On Maundy Thursday, we remember Jesus sharing the Last Supper with his disciples, the institution of the Eucharist, before his death on Good Friday.

7.45am - Morning Prayer said
8.00am - Holy Communion
10.30am - Holy Communion according to the Book of Common Prayer
7.00pm - The Liturgy of Maundy Thursday livestreamed
In this special Eucharist service, we recall Jesus’ supreme example of humble service in washing the feet of his disciples. Sung by the Cathedral Choir.
Celebrant and Preacher: The Lord Bishop of Chichester, The Right Reverend Dr Martin Warner
The service concludes with a silent vigil until 10pm

All are welcome to join our special services during Holy Week & Easter.

7:45am - Morning Prayer said
9:30am - The Easter Story Retold: A Good Friday Service for Children, Families and Caregivers
In this special service for children, families and caregivers, we follow in the footsteps of Jesus from Palm Sunday to Good Friday, pausing at different places in the Cathedral to remember the path to Calvary that Jesus followed.
The service will end with Hot Cross Buns.
12:00pm - Three Hours' Devotion (also livestreamed)
Led by The Dean, The Very Reverend Dr Edward Dowler
1:30pm - The Liturgy of the Passion (also livestreamed)
The Cathedral Choir sings the account of the trial and crucifixion of Jesus in The Liturgy of the Passion, and we are invited to pray before the cross.
Celebrant and Preacher: The Lord Bishop of Chichester, The Right Reverend Dr Martin Warner

All are welcome to join our special services during Holy Week & Easter.

In this special service marking the beginning of our Easter celebrations, our watching and waiting throughout Lent is rewarded with light.

Our service begins outside, where from a new fire the Paschal Candle is lit. As we process into the Cathedral, the light from the candle is shared amongst the congregation. We celebrate the victory of light over darkness, of life over death, as we hear scriptural readings telling of our creation by God and how he restores us to new life. Christians are then baptized and confirmed by the Bishop of Chichester, and welcomed into the family of the Church, before we all share in the First Eucharist of Easter.

All are welcome to join our special services on Easter Day.

We celebrate Jesus’ glorious resurrection from the dead in the following services:

8.00am - Holy Communion according to the Book of Common Prayer said
9.15am - Service for Children, Families and Caregivers
10.15am - Choral Mattins
11.15am - Sung Eucharist livestreamed
Celebrant and Preacher: The Lord Bishop of Chichester, The Right Reverend Dr Martin Warner
3.00pm - Choral Evensong livestreamed

A concert on the 60th anniversary of Leonard Bernstein’s Chichester Psalms, including the unveiling of a new musical composition.

Join us for an extraordinary evening celebrating the 60th anniversary of Leonard Bernstein's Chichester Psalms, as Chichester Cathedral celebrates its 950th anniversary.

Originally commissioned for the Southern Cathedrals Festival in 1965, this iconic work will be performed by Chichester Cathedral Choir in its exquisite arrangement for harp, organ, and percussion, under the direction of Charles Harrison.

The programme also features a world premiere by an acclaimed composer. The newly commissioned piece, inspired by Psalm 133 ("Behold how good and joyful a thing it is, brethren, to dwell together in unity"), will beautifully complement Bernstein’s masterpiece, and will be performed alongside other choral favourites.

Tickets for Together in Unity are on sale from Friday 14th February.

Join us on the Green for a fun-filled celebration marking 950 years of Chichester Cathedral, with free creative activities for children and families, special guests, and contributions from local partners.

As part of the Cathedral's anniversary celebrations, Chichester950, this special event aims to bring the Chichester community together on the Feast of the Holy Trinity, to which the city's ancient Cathedral is dedicated.

Bring a picnic, pick up something delicious from Chichester’s fantastic local eateries, and soak up the festive atmosphere in this historic setting.

Stay tuned for more details—we look forward to celebrating with you!

TrinityFest follows a special Trinity Sunday Service in the Cathedral Nave at 10.00am, with The Rt Reverend Dr Martin Warner, Bishop of Chichester, as preacher.

A service of readings and carols celebrating the Christmas story.

All are welcome to the Cathedral Carol Service, a celebration of Christmas in a service of lessons, congregational carols and music sung by the Cathedral Choir.
There are four opportunities to attend this year's Carol Service:

Thursday 19th December at 6.00pm
Friday 20th December at 6.00pm
Saturday 21st December at 6.00pm (also livestreamed)
Sunday 22nd December at 3.00pm

Doors will open one hour before each service.