The Cathedral's schedule is always full, with talks, concerts, special events and business networking. Here's what's on at Durham Cathedral throughout the rest of March.
March is a special time because there is a strong focus on St Cuthbert's Festival which takes place towards the end of the month, with St Cuthbert's Day on March 20. There are services, food events and workshops, as well as the traditional St Cuthbert's Day procession from Chester le Street to the centre of Durham.
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#1: Special Service - Ash Wednesday, March 6
On Wednesday March 6, there is a schedule of services for Ash Wednesday, culminating at 5.15pm with Evensong, sung by Durham Cathedral Consort of Singers, and Sung Eucharist at 7.30pm for the beginning of Lent with the Imposition of Ashes, sung by Durham Cathedral Choir. The anthem is Allegri's famous Miserere.
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#2: Parent and toddler forest school, Thursday March 7
The Durham Cathedral’s Education team will lead an exploration of Durham Cathedral’s woodlands and riverbanks for parents and toddlers. The taster session starts at 10am and lasts for two hours. Tickets cost £5 per child, and accompanying parents go for free.
#3: Oresteia, March 7-11
Aeschylus’ epic Oresteia - a trilogy consisting of Agamemnon, The Libation Bearers and The Eumenides - will be performed over three nights in Durham Cathedral's Chapter House. It is a new adaptation by Robert Icke and is a brutal family drama, performed by the Phoenix Theatre.
The Durham Cathedral Oresteia performances are on Thursday, Friday and Monday March 7, 8 and 11, at 7.30pm. Tickets cost £9-10 and can be booked from the Durham Student Theatre website.
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#4: Durham University Choral Society, Saturday March 9
This Durham University Choral Society concert features French music, with pieces including the upper voices of the choir in Poulenc’s Litanies à Vierge Noire and the lower voices in Duruflé’s Messe Cum Jubilo. The Durham University Choral Society concert concludes with Dupré’s Quatre Motets.
It takes place on Saturday March 9, and doors are at 7pm. The concert runs from 7.30-9pm and there will be a 10 minute interval. Tickets cost £10, concessions £8 and Music Durham members £6, and can be booked from the Music Durham website.
#5: Darina Piano Duo, Sunday March 10
A different musical geography than the last event, this piano recital focuses on 18th and 19th Century German-Russian music. The classical repertoire will include Dvorak and Arensky and finishes with music by modern English composers. The concert takes place in Priors Hall at 5pm.
Tickets cost £15, which includes post-concert refreshments, and schoolchildren go for free if accompanied by an adult. Student tickets cost £5. Tickets can be bought on the door or by emailing dcca@durhamcathedral.co.uk
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#6: Special Service, Sunday March 17
At 3.30pm on Sunday March 17 is Durham Cathedral's Special Service of Stations of the Cross. This old traditional service has its roots in early Christian pilgrimages to follow in the footsteps of Christ in Jerusalem. Now, the Stations of the Cross are a way to walk with Christ a bit closer to home. Related to Lent, Stations of the Cross sees the congregation gather around symbols at each station as a focus for prayer.
#7: St Cuthbert's Festival, March 20-23
The St Cuthbert's Festival is one of the major Durham Cathedral events in March, with St Cuthbert's Day falling on March 20. Durham Cathedral's St Cuthbert's Festival 2019 will run from Wednesday March 20 to Saturday March 23, with special services, a concert, free tours, a food fair, procession and a special ticket price into Open Treasure. The main events are detailed below.
#8: St Cuthbert's Day Evensong and Procession, March 20
On Wednesday March 20 at 7pm is the St Cuthbert's Day Evensong and Procession, which commemorates the life of St Cuthbert, with the Lucernarium (the blessing of the light), and the offering of incense.
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#9: two for one Open Treasure tickets, March 20-23
Between Wednesday and Saturday, March 20-23, visitors can buy two for one Durham Cathedral Open Treasure tickets.
#10: Stories of Sanctuary, Thursday March 21
On Thursday March 21 at 7.30pm is the St Cuthbert's Day Stories of Sanctuary which, ahead of a national tour, performs stories of people finding sanctuary in Durham, from the original monks carrying St Cuthbert's body through to Syrian refugees.
The stories are both spoken and sung, performed by Sam Slatcher, along with guest musician Raghad Haddad, a viola player from the Syrian National Orchestra, as well as some of the participants of the workshops. Tickets cost £12-15 and raises money for Stories of Sanctuary and Durham Cathedral.
You can book tickets on the Durham Cathedral website or by calling 0191 338 7178.
#11: Chorister School performance, Friday March 22
On Friday March 22 at 1.15pm is A Musical Celebration by the Chorister School, where pupils will perform.
#12: St Cuthbert Festival Giving Day, March 23
On Saturday March 23, the National Lottery Heritage Fund will double any donations made to Durham Cathedral either online or in person. The money will go towards Foundation 2020, which is aiming to raise funds for ongoing care of Durham Cathedral.
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#13: St Cuthbert's Procession, March 23
On Saturday March 23 is the main event to the St Cuthbert's Festival: the St Cuthbert's Day Procession. Organised by the Northumbrian Association, the St Cuthbert's Day Procession starts at St Mary's and St Cuthbert's Church, Chester le Street at 9.30am. It follows a historic pilgrimage route symbolising the arrival of St Cuthbert's body, and covers eight miles.
Everyone can then join in the procession behind the banner from Durham Marketplace to Durham Cathedral, arriving at 2.10pm for a short service at St Cuthbert's shrine.
You can book your free tickets on the Durham Cathedral website.
#14: St Cuthbert's Day events, Saturday March 23
Durham Cathedral will host a series of St Cuthbert's Day events on Saturday March 23. At 10am, several events will start. First off will be a St Cuthbert Festival Local Producers' Market in the Durham Cathedral cloisters, and at the same time there will be St Cuthbert Festival Family Fun, where children aged three upwards can handle objects such as knights' armour, and listen to storyteller Adam Bushnell talk about Anglo Saxons and Vikings.
Also running from 10am will be free Durham Cathedral guided tours, at 10am, 10.30am, 11am, 1pm and 3pm.
Then the final event in the St Cuthbert's Day schedule for Saturday March 23 is the St Cuthbert Festival Special Service of Sung Eucharist, at 5.15pm. Durham Cathedral Choir will be joined by Newcastle Cathedral Choir, and the service concludes with a procession to St Cuthbert's shrine.