This is none other than the house of God and the gate of heaven: Faith Matters column

Brighton Pavilion, the Seven Sisters, and Chichester Cathedral are iconic images of Sussex. They are depicted on the trains that shuttle along the south coast.

A cathedral in Chichester is part of the identity of Sussex as the Normans designed it in 1075. The present cathedral is being prepared for 2025, celebrating 950 years of Christian service across the whole of Sussex.

The present building replaces one that burnt down. The destruction of an iconic place of worship can be traumatic, even in a pluralist and largely non-Christian culture. Think of the impact of watching fire ravage Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris a few years ago.

That traumatic event connects with Chichester in one important detail: the roof timbers.

13th century roof timbers were consumed by fire in Paris. In Chichester we still have roof timbers of that same age, and possibly some that are older. But ours were being destroyed by rain getting through the gaudy green copper roofing. That’s been replaced by lead and the timbers are safe.

Does this matter?

In the early 1200s, huge Sussex trees were felled in large numbers so that anonymous artisans could collaborate in making a building that gave pride and purpose to their lives and the lives of others. These artisans were the computer programmers of their day, and just as anonymous.

What message did they hope the cathedral would send to the people who saw it, worked in it, and lived near it?

The message was not narrowly defined in Christian terms. It was environmental, claiming that a building dedicated to worship should also identify accountability for the stewardship of creation. It was also about social justice: the friendless refugee and victim of injustice could claim asylum within a church building.

Those anonymous artisans asserted that there is more to life than material things. And the spirituality of beauty, love and joy is the currency in which a cathedral must still trade.

Dates for your diary

Cathedral Theology Network Online Courses: The Crusades, given by Charlotte Gauthier.

Running at 7pm on Zoom on 14 November, 21 November, 28 November, 5 December, these talks promise to the history, theology, and social impact of the crusades from the Middle Ages to the present day. The speaker, Charlotte Gauthier, is a doctoral researcher in History at Royal Holloway, University of London. For more information and to register internet, visit www.cathedraltheology.org/crusades.

Life as a Franciscan Sister or Brother… could this be for me..?

Meeting on Zoom between 9.30am and 1pm on Saturday 2 December, this virtual time offers the opportunity to explore Franciscan community life within the Church of England. Please book by 30 November. To do so, contact Sister Maureen CSF on [email protected].

Advent Procession, Chichester Cathedral, Sunday 3 December, 4.30pm

As a new church year begins with the season of Advent, join others at the Cathedral for a moving liturgy of music, readings and reflections as we reflect on the coming of Christ in his Incarnation and await his return in glory at the end of time.