Worship & Music
For more than 1,400 years God has been worshipped in Canterbury Cathedral. With its roots in the Benedictine tradition, the ongoing daily pattern of morning and evening prayer and Eucharist (Holy Communion) continues the prayers and praises of countless generations.
Update: 7 April 2021
We are delighted to welcome congregations back for worship within the Cathedral. Please see below for details of our in-person services. The Cathedral is closed for visiting but the Precincts are open to the public, free of charge, as an outside space for exercise. Our Cathedral Shop is open online only.Public worship at the Cathedral
| Daily Eucharist (Crypt) | 08.00 |
| Daily Morning Prayer (Crypt) | 07.30 (Mon-Fri); 09.30 (Sat-Sun) |
| Private Prayer (Nave) | 11.00-15.00 (Mon-Sat); 12.00-15.00 (Sun) |
| Daily Evensong* (Nave) | 17.30 - to start on Sat 17 April |
| Sunday Eucharist* (Nave) | 10.30 - pre-booking required (click here to book online) |
Online worship
The following services are broadcast on our homepage and on the Cathedral's YouTube channel.| Morning Prayer | by 10.30 each day |
| Evening Reflection | paused until 19 April |
| Choral Evensong | Live stream at 17.30 each day |
| Sunday Eucharist | Live stream at 10.30 |
Worship FAQs
Do I need to book to attend a service of worship?
If you wish to attend Sunday Eucharist, you will need to pre-book your seat. Click here to book online. Bookings are not required for our other services.
To comply with government guidance on NHS Test and Trace, we will ask you for personal details during your online booking. Please see ‘NHS Test and Trace’ below.
Should I wear a face mask?
In line with government guidance, face coverings must be worn in places of worship unless you have an exemption.
NHS Test and Trace
In line with government guidance we are required to keep an accurate temporary record of our visitors and worshippers for 21 days to assist NHS Test and Trace with requests for data if needed for contact tracing and the investigation of local outbreaks. We will collect your personal data securely either via our online booking form if you pre-book to attend, or via paper form as you enter the Cathedral.
Will I be able to take communion at a service?
Yes. Communion will be distributed in one kind only (the bread) and hygiene precautions will be taken during the distribution.
Will I be able to sing as part of the service?
Congregational singing is not yet permitted by government guidance. Please note that raising voices and shouting are also discouraged because of the potential for increased risk of transmission from aerosol and droplets. Therefore, spoken responses during worship should also not be in a raised voice.
Will there be Orders of Service?
You are encouraged to bring your own copy of Common Worship Daily Prayer to Morning Prayer.
For other services, single-use Orders of Service may be provided in ways that conform to government guidelines. Any book that needs to be reused will be quarantined for at least 48 hours between uses.
Items owned by the individual to aid worship such as Bibles, Prayer Books, or devotional objects can be brought in but should be removed again by the worshipper.
Will I be able to light a candle?
Yes. Votive candles will be available at the west end of the Nave during Nave services and private prayer times.
Will the toilets be open?
Yes. From Sunday 11 to Friday 16 April, the toilets inside our International Study Centre will be open 09.45-12.00 on Sunday and 10.00 – 16.00 Monday to Friday for our congregations.
From Saturday 17 April onwards, our public toilets in the Precincts will be open 10.00-18.30 daily.
Toilets will be checked regularly but will not be staffed. In order to maintain safe physical distancing, one-way routes and gender-inclusive toilets will be in operation.
Is parking available?
Parking is available for Blue Badge holders only, subject to limited availability. No other parking on site is possible. Please use the public car parks within the City.
Will there be tea and coffee after services?
No. For hygiene reasons no refreshments will be provided after services. We encourage you to leave the building as soon as the service is over, and if you wish to catch up with your friends, to do so outside where it is safer, and at a safe distance from one another.
People who are symptomatic
Anyone feeling unwell or showing symptoms of COVID-19 should not attend services of worship due to the risk that they pose to others; they should self-isolate at home immediately with other members of their household. Remote participation should be considered, for example by watching our daily online videos.
Can I donate to support the Cathedral?
Yes, we welcome any support for our ministry and the stewardship of the Cathedral. You can donate online, give at one of the contactless donation stands in the Cathedral, or make a cash donation into one of our collection boxes. The typical donation is £5.
Bag searches
Please note that bag searches may be carried out. To keep delays to a minimum, visitors are asked to avoid bringing large bags or backpacks. The searches are not in response to intelligence of any particular threat relating to Canterbury Cathedral, but we take the security of staff, volunteers, visitors and worshippers very seriously, and we hope this will help reassure all who come to the Cathedral.
Can you help us?
In these unprecedented times we still need your help. Having lost most of our visitor income since the pandemic began, we are faced with huge financial challenges. The Cathedral’s survival now depends on the generosity of people who care about it. A donation of any size will be deeply appreciated. Can you help us? Please click here to donate. You will be supporting the running costs of this special place which has served its community for 1,400 years.
We hope to continue that ministry for years to come. Please consider helping us. Thank you.
