What’s On
at Liverpool Cathedral

Find out more about our Daily Prayer services and what you can expect.

What happens at a Daily Prayer service?

Every morning and evening the Cathedral holds a time of prayer, in common with Christians across the world, giving thanks to God for the day to come, and the day that is past, and reading passages of the Bible that help us focus on who God is, revealed in Christ. The service of Evensong is the sung version of Evening Prayer, and one of the most distinctive and beautiful parts of the Cathedral’s worship, the choir singing psalms, the ancient hymns of Israel, and the songs sung by some of the characters involved in the life of Christ, most notably his mother, Mary.

Why is prayer important?

To pray is to turn to God, who is the most important reality and person we can know. Prayer is communication with God, being with God, it can involve asking God for the things we need, and just being still and filled with wonder, or in times of sadness, sitting with the One who loves us more than we can comprehend.

Prayer for healing

Every day we pray for healing, for those who are sick, and for the world in its brokenness. We never know how God will answer our prayers, but we trust that they are heard and precious in God’s sight.

Prayer for strength

God is described in the Bible as our rock, a strong tower, our place of refuge, and our defence. Perhaps the shortest prayer in the Bible was St Peter’s as he was drowning, ‘Lord, save me!’ Through Christ God is with us, and has promised that not even death can separate us from his love.

Find out more about our Eucharistic services and what you can expect.

What is Eucharist?

The Eucharist (also known as Holy Communion, Mass, or the Lord’s Supper) is the central act of Christian worship, given by Jesus Christ. The word Eucharist (ευχαριστώ) is Greek, and it means ‘Thanks’. We gather to worship because Christ has invited us to receive salvation. It is a feast. Christ, the Lamb of God, who gave his life, once for all, is offered for the hungry. His sacrifice is stronger than our sin, and has broken the power of death. Our hearts turn to God, by the Holy Spirit at work within us, lifted in praise to the Father in union with Christ, the Son of God. By grace we are fellow children with him, adopted into the eternal love of God.

What happens in a Eucharistic service?

In the Eucharist, Christ feeds us spiritually, through the words of the Holy Bible, through the preacher, and through broken bread given, eaten, received.

Why is Eucharist important?

It is a gift from God and a taste of God. Jesus told us to do this in memory of him, and for those who put their faith in what God has done in Jesus Christ receiving him anew. This act of worship brings us back to the heart of everything, who we are, and who God is.

Is Eucharist the same as Holy Communion?

Holy Communion is the climax of the Eucharist when we receive, eat and drink the consecrated bread and wine.

Who can receive communion?

Any baptised Christian in good standing with their own church is welcome to receive holy communion at Liverpool Cathedral.

Do I have to stay for the whole service?

You are encouraged to come for the whole service, but if you arrive late, or cannot stay for the whole service please feel free to join and leave the congregation quietly.

Do I have to join in?

You are welcome to come, whoever you are, and by being there, even if you have never been to such a service before, you are part of it. We hope you will feel able to watch, listen, enter into the presence of God, and afterward ask any questions you have. The eucharist belongs to all who are looking for God.

A weekday service of Choral Evensong lasts about 35 minutes and is led by our choir and clergy. This gives you the opportunity to listen to some beautifully-sung choral music and relax at the eve of the day. You can set any cares aside; pray to God and reflect what your needs are at this time.

What is Choral Evensong?

Choral Evensong is a form of worship which is several hundred years old and is unique to the Anglican Church. To be at Choral Evensong is like dropping in on a conversation which is already in progress – a conversation between God and human beings which began long before we were born and will go on long after we are dead. So do not be surprised, or disturbed, if there are some things in the conversation which you do not at once understand. The text of the service is drawn almost entirely from the Bible. Its main purpose is to proclaim the wonderful works of God in history, and in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. It also invites those who worship to respond with praise and penitence, prayer and obedience.

Can I join the congregation?

Yes, of course: if you would like to stay for the whole service, you are welcome to sit in the seats beyond the stalls where the choir is singing. A Cathedral Steward, wearing a red ribbon, should be available to help you find your way there. Or you can sit in the Main Space. When the service is in the Lady Chapel please sit in the main body of the Chapel.

What if I only have a few minutes?

You’re welcome to sit for as long or as short a time as you like. Altogether, the service will last about 35 minutes. Feel free just to sit and soak it all in for as long as you can.

Do I have to say or do anything?

There are places where the congregation is invited to stand and you may like to do this, but it is fine if you prefer to remain seated. You will be invited to join in with some spoken parts, printed in bold in this booklet, but you don’t have to.

May I take photographs?

Please don’t take photos so we can keep the atmosphere peaceful and the space safe. We often have children singing so you can’t take pictures of the service or choir rehearsal beforehand.

May I come back to attend this service on another day?

Of course! Choral Evensong usually takes place here six times a week in school term time. On Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays it is at 5.30pm. On Saturdays and Sundays it is at 3.00pm but check the Cathedral website just to be sure; sometimes we have to vary our usual routine.

What’s the aim of the service?

Choral Evensong is an opportunity to worship God and experience His renewing presence. In the peace and space of this great building, we have time and space to turn our hearts towards the Lord. The service has been described as “a window on heaven” and “an oasis of peace”.

The service is in three parts.

The first part, which is very brief, prepares us for the story which is to follow.

The second part is the story of what God has done (and continues to do) to save his people, beginning in the Old Testament (the Psalm and the First Reading), then moving to the New Testament (the Magnificat, the Second Reading and the Nunc Dimittis) and reaching its climax as we turn to face East, looking towards the dawn of God’s Kingdom, as we affirm our faith in the words of the Apostles’ Creed.

The third part is our human response to the God who has revealed himself in history, in Jesus Christ and in the Church.

Why does the Choir have so much to do and the congregation so little?

Worship without music does not easily soar; wherever the church has been concerned to make worship really expressive of truth, music has been used: sometimes this means music simple enough for everyone to join in; but at other times it means more elaborate music, in which those who are especially gifted lead the worship on behalf of everyone else.

Choral Evensong is an example of the second form. The highly skilled singing of a Cathedral Choir, and the equally highly skilled playing of a Cathedral Organist, is in partnership with the architecture and the stained glass of the building: as the musicians play and the choir sings, the rest of the congregation is liberated to meditate on the words which are sung and on the beauty which surrounds us, and so is uplifted, by the power of the Holy Spirit, into a closer sense of the presence of God.

Many who attend Choral Evensong regularly and have grown to love it, find that the music carries us along and enables us to offer our own prayers and confessions, thanks and praise to God.

As a Cathedral community, we often talk about Liverpool Cathedral as being a place of Encounter. We hope that through these BSL services and the resources below, we will all encounter more of God’s love in our lives, in many different ways.

Sign up to our eNewsletter to hear in advance of all the BSL services and events at the cathedral; and/or contact Canon Mike for more information, for our regular monthly email update or with further suggestions for serving our deaf community.

Find out more about BSL Services at Liverpool Cathedral and in the city here.

We are delighted to have a large number of Persians worshipping at Liverpool Cathedral.

In early 2014 we started ‘Sepas’, a Persian congregation where the worship and teaching is all either in Farsi or translated.

Sepas meets on a Sunday afternoon in our Lady Chapel. Worship starts at 1:00pm and we serve refreshments after the service. We would be delighted to welcome you and your family – and we have plenty of activities for children. Many members of Sepas also attend our Sunday Eucharist.

What we do

Sunday 1pm to 2:30pm start : “Sepas”. A weekly meeting of prayer, praise and Bible teaching (translated into Farsi). Held usually in the Lady Chapel.

After the service, we hold various sessions for people looking into baptism, confirmation and exploring their faith.

We are a Child Friendly Church that is a part of the Growing Faith movement. This exists to put children, young people and families instinctively at the heart of all the mission and ministry of our Cathedral. We offer the best provision for both children and their families, encompassing all that this includes, from safeguarding to the inclusion of children and their families into the worshipping life of the Cathedral.

We aim to offer opportunities for children and their families to explore faith together through a variety of styles of worship and activities held both weekly and throughout school holidays.

Throughout every school holiday, we offer a wide variety of free activities, embracing all age groups and giving families the chance to explore spiritual themes in a fun and interactive way.

The Cathedral is a great place for all ages to visit. Children have great fun exploring the hidden treasures throughout our magnificent building and we have specially designed children’s trails. Our audio tours also have versions suitable for children.