Cathedrals have witnessed their highest Easter congregation numbers in recent years, while visitor numbers increased by a million on the previous year, according to new figures published today.
The major Christian festivals remain at the heart of congregational growth, with 58,000 people attending a cathedral at Easter and 95,000 during Holy Week – the highest numbers recorded for a decade, with Easter attendance up nearly 10,000 since 2008.
Meanwhile numbers at Christmas and Advent services rose five per cent on the previous year to reach 750,000 in 2018. There were 133,000 people worshipping in cathedrals on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day – second only to the previous year’s record high.
Cathedrals reported a total of 37,000 people worshipping each week in the year 2018, marking an increase of around 14 per cent over the past ten years. Around one in five cathedral worshippers was under the age of 16, also an increase on the previous year.
Attendance at midweek services, including choral evensong, grew 34 per cent in the ten years to 2018, with nearly 19,000 attending each week. More people attended midweek services than on Sunday for only the second time since records began.
Music in Cathedrals continues to flourish with 2,000 full-time choristers and 1,800 voluntary choir members.
Cathedrals also welcomed the highest ever number of children and…
… Read More
—
Click Read More to read the rest of the story from our content source/partners – Premier Christianity News.