Remembering Manchester – One Year On

#RememberManchester #OneYearOn #Manchester22

The Cathedral in Manchester will host the national service of remembrance on May 22 to mark the first anniversary of the Arena bombing that killed 22 people and injured 512 at an Ariana Grande concert.

The Cathedral service, at 2-3pm on Tuesday May 22, will be attended by an invited congregation including the families of those who lost their lives, those injured, first responders, civic leaders and senior national figures including Prince William and Prime Minister, Theresa May.

The service will be live screened in nearby Cathedral Gardens in the city and also at York Minster, Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral and Glasgow Cathedral.

Other cathedrals and churches up and down the country will say prayers and set up prayer stations for people to take time out to remember Manchester one year on.

The Dean of Manchester, the Very Revd Rogers Govender, unveiled a banner inside the Cathedral this week by the Cathedral’s artist-in-residence, Stephen Raw. He was just one of the thousands who were affected by the tragic event last May. He invited people of all faiths to join together in painting a small part of a 5m-long banner with his words ‘Together Unafraid’.

Since March, painting sessions have been hosted in a mosque, a synagogue, a gurdwara, the Cathedral and some local schools. People of all ages, and all faiths and none, came to paint, some in memory of those killed a year ago, some simply asking for tolerance of ‘others’. Many of the contributors had their photograph taken which forms the border of the banner: a faithful record of the wonderful diversity of people that live and work in the city of Manchester.

The banner was unveiled on Tuesday 15 May and will be on display in the nave from 15 to 20 May and from 23 May to 15 June.

Manchester Cathedral will be closed to the public on Monday 21 and Tuesday 22 as they prepare for the national event.

You can see all the events planned in Manchester – including the One Voice concert – to mark the anniversary of the Arena bombing here