Mystery Worshipper: Cool Dude
Church:
Rochester Cathedral, Kent
Location: England
Date of visit: Friday, 18 April 2025, 12:00pm
The building
Rochester cathedral is the second oldest in England, founded AD 604. Its founder was Justus, one of the missionaries sent under the leadership of Augustine by the Pope Gregory the Great to bring Christianity to heathen England (then known as Albion). The cathedral building that stands today is substantially a Norman Romanesque structure of the 1070s, with generous architectural contributions and extensions in every single century since. The amiable, though sometimes jumbled, result makes for one of the most atmospheric of English cathedrals. The west front with its Romanesque carvings still just about intact is a rare survival.
The church
Rochester cathedral may be ancient but it is not particularly well endowed financially and also moves with the times. To make money to maintain its ancient fabric, that former Dean featured a temporary golf-putting course in the nave which aroused controversy; most though not all of this came from those who never attend church, let alone contribute financially. On my visit tickets were on sale for an Elvis Presley tribute act which was due to perform in the nave. Elvis was an avowed Christian, so I am comfortable with that, especially as the nave is fairly well separated from the choir. The latter is at a significantly higher level up a flight of ten steps. There is a different atmosphere in the more sacred spaces at the east end; in this part of the building, golf and Elvis would feel very out of place. The cathedral is the mother church of the diocese of Rochester, less well known than nearby London and Canterbury.
The neighborhood
The cathedral stands directly opposite the large ruins of Rochester Castle, a stronghold build about the same time as the cathedral and intended to defend the wide River Medway from invasion. The river formed a safe haven for trading ships, and later for the British navy who had a major shipbuilding yard at Chatham, close by, which in 400 years built 500 ships. The Dutch navy invaded briefly in 1667. The closure of the naval shipyard as recently as 1984 was a very serious blow to the economy of Rochester and Chatham. Since de-industrialisation, Rochester has not been wealthy, but there are now many signs of social and economic revival. Rochester’s long High Street adjacent to the cathedral is full of attractive old buildings and on account of several Charles Dickens connections nowadays attracts quite a few tourists.
The cast
The meditation was led by a bishop and a choir of eight drawn from the cathedral choir. The whole choir, choristers and lay clerks supported the Liturgy of Good Friday, which had an altar party of eight. It was led by the Dean.
What was the name of the service?
Good Friday Meditation, followed after a brief break by The Liturgy of Good Friday.How full was the building?
About 70 for the meditation, which grew to about 200 when we moved to the choir for the liturgy.
Did anyone welcome you personally?
Yes, a friendly member of the welcome team greeted me warmly and handed out the two service booklets. Between the two parts of the service, a verger was on hand to direct me to the WC, which was clean, fragrant and discreetly hidden away in a corner.
Was your pew comfortable?
It was a modern, moveable, stackable chair of a brand familiar in a number of cathedrals. The rows were too closely spaced, so I couldn’t stand up without banging into the person in front.
How would you describe the pre-service atmosphere?
For a meditation, and given the solemnity of Good Friday, it was surprisingly restless. Clergy, vergers and members of the public chatted loudly, walked about and made ready. Later, the atmosphere before the Good Friday Liturgy was markedly different: collected, reverent and very quiet.
What were the exact opening words of the service?
‘Good morning’ – it was a couple of minutes before noon – ‘and welcome to this meditation.’ He then got us to practise the newly-written hymn, which given its unfamiliarity and meandering melody was welcome. Perhaps it was a first performance. We were told the composer was among us. After a short silence the meditation proper began.
What books did the congregation use during the service?
Just the two specially written service booklets for the day, one for the meditation and one for the liturgy. They had everything we needed, including directions about when to stand, sit, kneel, etc. The meditation booklet had illustrations of the paintings that were the focus of Holy Week preaching.
What musical instruments were played?
Organ and piano, both of which were played at various times.
Did anything distract you?
During the meditation, there seem to be a constant stream of people walking up and down the north aisle. Maybe they were sightseers, though there were clear signs at the door to say that for this day the cathedral was open only for prayer and services, not tourist visits. In a quiet meditative service, one notices this sort of thing.
Was the worship stiff-upper-lip, happy clappy, or what?
In spite of the billing, the meditation service was fully preached, so a little closer to an illustrated lecture or perhaps a retreat address. This was the final part of a Holy Week examination of seven notable biblical women, and there were silences at several points. But these did not take the form of guided meditations or prayerful contemplations; they were open-ended silence for us to do what we would with them. The Good Friday Liturgy was in format reverent and conventional, including communion and veneration of the bare wooden cross that was born in from the nave of the church with the usual three acclamations. The Passion according to St John was sung by the cathedral choir in the well-known version by Tomas Luis de Victoria, himself a priest. It is a setting which was both musical and direct.
Exactly how long was the sermon?
Beyond the adresses in the meditation, there was none.
In a nutshell, what was the sermon about?
There were several brief addresses in the meditation focusing on two stories of Esther, heroine of the Jews, who is celebrated in the Jewish festival of Purim; and Priscilla, part of the cohort of St Paul the Apostle. These were supported by two paintings (reproduced in our service booklets) by a Bulgarian artist that blended the icon tradition of orthodoxy with Bulgarian folk art; and by free verse poems written by the preacher, which were read out, and then sung by the choir. The addresses in the meditation explained the stories of the two women.
Which part of the service was like being in heaven?
The veneration of the cross took place in the middle of the space, and we approached informally from all four sides. Some knelt, others more unsteady on their feet bowed their heads and stood by it. Many made impromptu gestures such touching or kissing the cross. It was a simple act of devotion, reverent and solemn.
And which part was like being in... er... the other place?
For the first 10 minutes of meditation a notably restless lady next to me wriggled, yawned audibly and coughed in the silences, then left. Some people do find stillness and silence very challenging if they are not used to it.
What happened when you hung around after the service looking lost?
The congregation were asked to leave in silence. At the door I ran into an old friend, so we adjourned to chat about old times outside the precinct.
How would you describe the after-service coffee?
The cathedral cafe was closed for Good Friday.
How would you feel about making another visit (where 10 = ecstatic, 0 = terminal)?
7 — The Good Friday Liturgy was moving, solemn and dignified. It is difficult to guess from that what a Sunday in ordinary time would be like, but I would like to return and see.
Did the service make you feel glad to be a Christian?
Definitely.
What one thing will you remember about all this in seven days' time ?
The quiet reverence of the congregation at the veneration of the cross.