<span style="font-size: 1rem;">St Albans Cathedral is joining with cathedrals across England to mark VE Day. Heroes past and present will be remembered in a special VE day service to be broadcast at 3pm on You Tube and in a Big Picnic for Hope.</span>The Big Picnic for Hope is an opportunity for households to be part of a virtual get together on 8 May. The project asks people to stay at home, to picnic indoors or in their gardens, and to join friends and families virtually.The Very Revd Jeffrey John, Dean of St Albans, said: “In most of history’s wars it is hard to say which side was in the right. The Second World War was different. Nazism was a dehumanising ideology, based on a perverted evolutionary theory that one race is naturally superior to another, and can therefore be justified in crushing and exterminating others. The defeat of Hitler was a straightforward victory of good over evil. It is something of which this country can be genuinely proud, and for which we should be grateful to our forebears and to God.To mark VE day we will be streaming a special service of thanksgiving, including contributions from some of those who took part in the struggle, a message from the Lord Lieutenant of Hertfordshire, and a sermon from Bishop Stephen Venner who until recently was Bishop to the Armed Forces.The planned street picnics and celebrations are impossible this year, but the Big Picnic for Hope is a national initiative to gather us together in homes and over social media. The idea is to celebrate not only the past, but also the courage and spirit of the individuals and communities who are struggling now with the pandemic – the NHS staff, carers, cleaners, drivers, shop workers – everybody who is ‘doing their bit’. And as we eat our picnic, there is also a chance to contribute to food banks for others.”Find out more on our website: https://www.stalbanscathedral.org/ve-day-75
Message from The Very Reverend Dr Jeffrey John, Dean of St Albans“Please pray for all those who are affected by the coronavirus outbreak: especially those who are most vulnerable and afraid for themselves or people they love; those who work in our medical and support services; and those who are researching prevention and cure. We are very sad that the Cathedral now has to be completely closed to the public, but we ask you to pray with us, even if for the time being you are not physically able to join us. God bless you and keep you safe”.Visitor InformationFollowing the announcement by the Prime Minister on Monday 23 March, the Cathedral is closed to the public until further notice. In these increasingly uncertain times, we recognise that now more than ever people are looking for ways to engage with Cathedral worship. Live streams and recordings of our services can be found on our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuIuP-WWPQ-dxOImR8WxHIgSHARE THIS PAGE
On Wednesday 26 February, the first batch of Alban Buns will arrive at St Albans Cathedral, produced by local mill and bakery, Redbournbury Mill. The bun is baked to a traditional recipe and follows the older custom of cutting the cross-shape onto the unbaked dough with a knife, not piping it on. It is said that the Alban Bun, the precursor to the famous Hot Cross Bun, originates in St Albans where Brother Thomas Rocliffe, a 14th Century Monk at St Albans Abbey, developed an original recipe. From 1361, Brother Thomas would distribute these buns to feed the poor on Good Friday. The original recipe remains a closely guarded secret, but ingredients include flour, eggs, fresh yeast, currants and grains of paradise or cardamom. The baker today stays faithful to the original 14th century recipe with only a slight addition of some extra fruit. The buns are distinctive in their appearance due to their lack of a piped cross. Instead, the baker cuts the cross into the top of the bun with a knife. Though the original source of the Alban Bun is still being researched, an article in the Herts Advertiser of 1862 reports it as follows: It is said that in a copy of 'Ye Booke of Saint Albans' it was reported that; "In the year of Our Lord 1361 Thomas Rocliffe, a monk attached to the refectory at St Albans Monastery, caused a quantity of small sweet spiced cakes, marked with a cross, to be made; then he directed them to be given away to persons who applied at the door of the refectory on Good Friday in addition to the customary basin of sack (wine). These cakes so pleased the palates of the people who were the recipients that they became talked about, and various were the attempts to imitate the cakes of Father Rocliffe all over the country, but the recipe of which was kept within the walls of the Abbey." The time honoured custom has therefore been observed over the centuries, and will undoubtedly continue into posterity, bearing with it the religious remembrance it is intended to convey. Miller from Redbournbury Mill, Justin, commented: "Redbournbury Mill was an Abbey Mill for five hundred years before the dissolution of the monasteries. It is wonderful to see the ancient link between Abbey and Mill restored in this relationship to bake a truly local product. A very traditional partnership between mill, bakery and abbey."The fascinating story of the Alban Bun continues to attract significant interest with enquiries about its origins coming from as far as New Zealand. It was also featured on ITV’s Good Morning Britain and Lorraine during Easter 2019 and BBC’s Mary Berry’s Easter Feast during Lent 2016. The Alban Bun will be available from the Abbot’s Kitchen Café to eat in or takeaway from Ash Wednesday, 26 February.
Anne Frank + You at St Albans CathedralOn Thursday 23 January, the moving and thought-provoking Anne Frank + You exhibition exploring the life and legacy of the teenage diarist opens at St Albans Cathedral. Presented by the Anne Frank Trust UK, the exhibition, which features a life-size replica of Anne’s bedroom in the Frank family’s secret annexe in Nazi-occupied Amsterdam, will be on display until Thursday 20 February.The exhibition coincides with the start of a year of commemorations including the 75th anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz II - Birkenau concentration camp, the death ofAnne Frank and the end of World War Two. This captivating and inspirational travelling exhibition explores Anne Frank, her diary and the Holocaust and how they highlight contemporary injustices. Far from being just about historical facts, the exhibition also explores issues such as racial hatred, the value of freedom and education, and how they play out in the modern world.Alongside the exhibition, the Cathedral has a number of talks planned exploring the life and legacy of Anne Frank and the Holocaust. Amongst these events is an evening of conversation between by Eva Clarke – a Holocaust Survivor born in the Mauthausen death camp – and Sunday Times bestselling author Wendy Holden. The Born Survivors talk takes place on Wednesday 12 February and tells the story of three newly pregnant young women, separated from their husbands. With so many loved ones lost already to the Nazis, the evening tells the stories of extraordinary courage which allowed these three young women to preserve not only their own lives, but those of their unborn children. Other events include a talk on the impact of the Holocaust on Judaism and an interactive café event with Gillian Walnes Perry, co-founder of the Anne Frank Trust UK, about how the 15-year-old diarist has influenced people as diverse as Nelson Mandela and Audrey Hepburn.The Very Reverend Dr Jeffrey John, Dean of St Albans, said ‘How would you react if you had to live hidden in an attic, knowing that at any moment you could be arrested simply for existing as the person you are? We need to remember and imagine Anne Frank’s experience, because it opens our eyes to the way prejudice still infects communities and destroys lives today’.At its heart, the exhibition is about education and Steve Clarke, Education Officer at St Albans Cathedral comments “the cathedral is delighted to welcome back the Anne Frank + You exhibition. This is a wonderful opportunity for pupils to learn about Anne, and to be inspired by her both her words and her story. The exhibition also challenges pupils to consider the themes of racism and prejudice in society today.”Tim Robertson, Chief Executive of The Anne Frank Trust UK, adds “I am thrilled that we are bringing this truly important exhibition to the historic St Albans Cathedral. The 75th anniversary of Anne Frank's death is fast approaching - she was murdered in the Holocaust simply because she was Jewish - but her story lives on in her astonishing Diary, a work that has sold over 36 million copies, and inspired exhibitions and education programmes around the world, including ours here in the UK. The [Anne Frank + You] exhibition offers a fascinating and moving insight into Anne’s life and legacy. I know it will make people reflect, and I hope it will make every visitor commit to opposing all forms of hate."The Anne Frank and You exhibition is the first of a number of exhibitions the Cathedral will be hosting throughout 2020, including a textile exhibition in May and a medieval season of events taking place throughout the summer. Amongst the medieval themed events taking place over the course of the summer is an exhibition focused on St Albans and its medieval manuscripts held with the St Albans Museum + Gallery. Full details of all of the events taking place at St Albans Cathedral throughout the year will be available on the cathedral’s website www.stalbanscathedral.orgNotes to EditorsThe Anne Frank + You ExhibitionThe Anne Frank + You Exhibition is a hugely popular touring exhibition presented by the Anne Frank Trust UK which explores the life and modern legacy of Anne Frank.The exhibition presents facsimile artefacts that include a life-sized replica of Anne’s bedroom in the ‘secret annexe’ of Prinsengracht 263 it gives visitors a glimpse of her life in hiding.The exhibition’s historical content is juxtaposed with a powerfully illustrated contemporary section that highlights themes from Anne’s diary such as racial hatred and the value of freedom and education and how they play out in the modern world.It was been visited by over 10,000 visitors at locations across the UK since the start of the year.The Anne Frank + You exhibition will be used by school children on a daily basis during term time. All school groups must be booked in through the St Albans Cathedral Learning Department.During term time, the exhibition is open to the public Monday to Friday 2pm - 4pm, Saturday 10am - 3pm and Sunday 1pm - 5.30pm.During the February half term (Monday 17 - Thursday 20 February), the exhibition will be open 10am - 4pm.Due to the nature of the subject matter, the exhibition is suitable for children aged 10+.St Albans CathedralSt Albans Cathedral is the number one tourist destination in St Albans and attracts approximately 200,000 visitors per year from the UK and abroad. It hosts hundreds of events and services throughout the year.The Cathedral is built on the site of the martyrdom of Alban, Britain’s first saint.St Alban was an Anglo-Romano citizen who was executed around 300 AD.It is the oldest site of continuous Christian worship in Britain.It houses the Shrines of St Alban and St Amphibalus, and is a major site of Christian worship to this day.The Cathedral architecture is a blend of many different periods, with Anglo-Saxon features dating back to King Offa’s church, founded on the site in 793.Work started on the current church building in 1077; it was the largest building in the country at the time. Its great Norman tower and nave were built using Roman bricks salvaged from the ruins of Verulamium.The Benedictine monastery was dissolved in 1539 and the Abbey church was bought by the townspeople to become the parish church, which it remains today. The Victorians undertook a major restoration and it became a cathedral in 1877.St Albans Cathedral is the mother church of the Diocese of St Albans which serves the people of Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, the Borough of Luton and parts of the London Borough of Barnet, Cambridgeshire and Buckinghamshire.Alban, Britain’s First Saint – National Lottery Heritage Fund Funded ProjectThis significant development project is funded by The National Lottery HeritageFund with match funding from over a thousand individuals and organisations.In June 2019, the Cathedral opened a new Welcome Centre, new learning spaces for children and adults, and new exhibition areas.The visitor experience at the Cathedral has been transformed bringing the story ofBritain’s first saint, Alban, to life through new displays, trails, stunning audiovisuals and artefacts. Children can also enjoy a host of new activities, including brass rubbing, dressing up and explorer backpacks.The National Lottery Heritage FundThe National Lottery Heritage Fund is the largest dedicated funder of heritage in the UK.Born Survivors TalkLed by Sunday Times Bestselling Author Wendy Holden and Eva Clarke, born in the Mauthausen death camp.Signed copies of Born Survivors will be available on the night.The Global Legacy of Anne Frank Cafe eventCafe events are held in the Abbot’s Kitchen café and are designed to be interactive, allowing the audience to ask questions and debate amongst themselves and the speaker.This event is led by Gillian Walnes Perry, co-founder (along with family and friends of Mr Otto Frank) of the Anne Frank Trust UK, and will consider the legacy of Anne Frank today.Having seen the power of Anne’s diary, Gillian narrates how people as diverse as Nelson Mandela and Audrey Hepburn have drawn inspiration from Anne Frank The Anne Frank Trust UKThe Anne Frank Trust UK is an education charity that uses Anne Frank’s life and diary to empower young people with the knowledge, skills and confidence to challenge all forms of prejudice and discrimination.The Trust partners with schools, local authorities, criminal justice education services and others, to deliver education to young people in a variety of settings, predominantly in schools. Our interactive and impactful programme includes an exhibition of Anne Frank’s life and diary combined with workshops, peer education and an ambassador programme.The Anne Frank Trust UK was established in 1991 by family and friends of Otto Frank, following his wish for an educational organisation to be set up in memory of his daughter Anne. www.annefrank.org.uk
