Mystery Worshipper: Portola
Church:
Ripon Cathedral, North Yorkshire
Location: England
Date of visit: Saturday, 19 April 2025, 7:30pm
The building
The Cathedral Church of St Peter and St Wilfrid is the fourth church built on this site. The Saxon crypt is all that remains of the original stone church built by St Wilfrid in 672. The present church was started in 1180. The face of the cathedral, the Gothic west front, was constructed in 1220. Standing at the west door after entering, one sees two unique features: a lop-sided Norman arch at the end of the nave and a ceiling that turns slightly to the left behind the next arch. These quirks came about after the central Norman tower collapsed in 1450; the rebuilding process was incomplete and produced asymmetrical lines. In the choir stalls under the misericords there are picturesque carvings completed in 1494. One of these shows two rabbits being chased by a griffin, one of which is disappearing down a hole. It has been speculated that Lewis Carroll, whose father was a canon at this cathedral, might have been inspired by this depiction when he wrote Alice in Wonderland. As a tribute to Carroll there is a carving of a smiling 'Cheshire cat' in the south transept ceiling. An unusual feature of the organ is a mechanical wooden hand – built in 1695 – jutting out above the entrance arch to the quire, which the organist could control with a lever, allowing him to direct the choir while playing the organ. The pulpit is of hammered metal in Art Nouveau style and was installed in 1910.
The church
This place of worship, which looks back to a history of over 1,350 years, attracts 100,000 visitors annually. The cathedral is comparable to a community social centre. Aside from services, there are concerts, fairs, art exhibits and banquets. This church is a spiritual focal point for various organisations in Ripon and North Yorkshire, such as the city council, rural farming areas, military communities, hospitals, parishes, the Salvation Army, the YMCA and chapels. Such organisations celebrate special events at the cathedral in partnership with the clergy.
The neighborhood
Ripon is a small market city in Northern Yorkshire, 1,300 years old, with a population of 16,700. In the 15th century it was the biggest textile center in Yorkshire with regard to woven cloth length. It is one of the gateways to the Yorkshire Dales. A tradition that has been maintained since 886 is the blowing of a horn every day at 9.00pm at the market place by the Ripon Hornblower.
The cast
Presiding: the dean of the cathedral. Preaching: the bishop of Ripon.
What was the name of the service?
The Vigil and Easter Liturgy.How full was the building?
Perhaps 150 people, filling up about one quarter of the central nave.
Did anyone welcome you personally?
Several ushers spoke words of greeting and handed out orders of service and small candles with drip protections.
Was your pew comfortable?
The chair was reasonably comfortable.
How would you describe the pre-service atmosphere?
Before the service began at the Easter fire outside the entrance door, the congregation gathered in the nave. There was quiet conversation. The scent of the smoke from the fire infiltrated the church.
What were the exact opening words of the service?
‘Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, on this most holy night, when our Lord Jesus Christ passed from death to life, the Church invites her children throughout the world to come together in vigil and prayer. This is the Passover of the Lord.’
What books did the congregation use during the service?
No books: a printed order of service contained all of the relevant texts.
What musical instruments were played?
The organ, rebuilt in 1878 by Lewis of Brixton, is located above the entrance to the quire in the middle of the church, but it can be played from a console positioned behind the pulpit in the nave.
Did anything distract you?
Several mild distractions. Outside the church, where the service began, the temperature was bone-chilling and, because there was no microphone use, it was not possible to hear all of the spoken words clearly. It was a relief to enter the church, but from where I sat, I felt a steady light breeze of cold air coming from behind which was seeping through the west door. At my feet was a glaring light which illuminated the column next to which I was sitting, which was obtrusive. It is always a disruption of my concentration when the collection is taken during the singing of a hymn. There was a moment of ambiguity after the opening segment of the Exsultet, sung by a cantor. The printed order of service, which is usually impeccable, specified that the president should take over the Exsultet after the opening, which he attempted to do, but the cantor continued to sing and the president immediately stopped speaking. This tiny slip-up, which was barely noticeable, was heart-warming for me because it humanized the service.
Was the worship stiff-upper-lip, happy clappy, or what?
The service began with the lighting of the Easter candle at the Easter fire. The congregation followed the candle into the unlighted church; from this candle, the flame of light was passed on to the candles of the congregation. There were two other processions: to the baptismal font for the renewal of baptismal vows; and to the Easter garden at the back of the church in order to bless the models of Golgotha and the empty grave. At the conclusion of the baptism renewal ritual, the congregation was sprinkled with water. The dean obviously enjoyed this moment, which involved dipping a yew branch into the water of the baptismal font and swinging it with athletic vigour, so that water was sprayed into the congregation. His enjoyment of this ritual, accompanied by a humorous comment, added a touch of light-heartedness to this ritual, bringing smiles to the recipients of the water drops. Aside from the incense, the worship was enriched by a loud ringing of a bell to proclaim a transition from darkness to light, as the congregation put out their candles and the lights of the church were turned on.
Exactly how long was the sermon?
15 minutes
On a scale of 1-10, how good was the preacher?
8 — The content of the sermon was solid and did justice to the occasion. But it was difficult to write notes quickly enough, because the sentences had an intricate structure.
In a nutshell, what was the sermon about?
The resurrection of Christ was a Passover, prefigured by the Exodus of the Hebrew slaves through the sea. This Passover was illustrated yesterday, on Good Friday, as the congregation, following the cross in procession, descended into the crypt and came up out of the depths on the other side. The creation began with the breath of God hovering and brooding over darkness and void. When death occurs, nothing seems to be happening, but the Spirit of God hovers over emptiness and darkness and creates life and hope. This creative activity occurred on the first Easter morning at Jesus’ grave. It occurs when we perform our church rituals, with God’s breath moving through the church. God’s Spirit is with us today, brooding over darkness, stirring up life and hope. There is evidence of a quiet revival in our church. God is doing it now. Do you not hear God calling you to participate in this renewal?
Which part of the service was like being in heaven?
Cathedral worship is, for me, the closest thing to heaven which this earth has to offer. The monumental and elaborate architecture of the sanctuary, which required unimaginable strength and artistic skill to build and to sustain through the centuries, proclaims the awesomeness of God’s greatness. The Ripon Cathedral choir, whose brilliant singing represents hours of meticulous preparation, provides the spark of the Spirit. The liturgy of the Easter Vigil expresses the fullness and glory of biblical, apostolic faith. The choreography of those who carry out the liturgy is flawless: everybody, including the choir, always knows exactly where they are supposed to be standing or moving. The liturgical texts are read exactly as they are printed, which displays respect and reverence. In all of those who contribute to worship there is a recognisable whole-heartedness of purpose, which proclaims that the celebration of the divine love revealed in the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ is crucial for the well-being of humanity.
And which part was like being in... er... the other place?
The organ postlude, a composition of Jean Langlais, had quiet and loud segments. To my untutored ears the loud sections were jarring, dissonant and harsh. After a jubilant celebration of resurrection, it felt as though we had returned to the grief and distress of Good Friday.
What happened when you hung around after the service looking lost?
The clergy were standing at the back of the church, engaging people in conversation and spreading Easter joy, leaving no room to stand around looking lost.
How would you describe the after-service coffee?
No coffee at this service; otherwise, every Sunday.
How would you feel about making another visit (where 10 = ecstatic, 0 = terminal)?
10 — This cathedral feels like a holy place and a spiritual home for me.
Did the service make you feel glad to be a Christian?
The Easter Vigil acclaims the events which make one glad to be a Christian.
What one thing will you remember about all this in seven days' time ?
The highlight of the Easter Vigil is the Exsultet, a canticle of praise which celebrates the resurrection of Christ as the culmination of God’s creative activity in salvation history. The dramatic words of the Exsultet stirred me deeply and stay with me, especially the declarations which begin: ‘This is the night...’