Whether it’s your first or your thousandth service, all are welcome to join us at a service here at Rochester Cathedral. There’s no requirement to be a Christian or a practising member of the Church of England to worship here.

You don’t have to come to services regularly. You are welcome to come to a service once or just as often as you like.

Attending a service

Our regularly advertised services are open to all. There’s no need to prebook and services are always free. We recommend arriving 5 to 10 minutes before the advertised start time to find a seat. If you’re hoping to come to a larger service (for example Christmas or Easter) we recommend arriving earlier to guarantee admission as these services are always very popular.

Is there a dress code?

There is no dress code for attending a service at Rochester Cathedral but please do wear clothes which are appropriate for a place of worship. The Cathedral is an ancient building and can be very cold, we recommend dressing warmly.

We have services throughout the day. You can find out the times of these services here ADD LINK

What will happen when I arrive?

We will have our friendly Volunteer Stewards (Helpers/Welcomers) at the doors for our Evensong and Eucharist Services. They will give you any service sheets you need and can direct you to where you can sit. They are always able to answer questions and will help direct the congregation during the services.

During the service

Each service has an order of service booklet which will guide you through the service. The booklet gives a guide of when to join in and the words for hymns, prayers and responses. It will also give instructions of when to stand.

Please do ask if you require a large print booklet.

At some services, the congregation are invited to “Share the Peace”. This is often a handshake with those sitting around you and sharing the words “Peace be with you”.

What happens during Communion?

Communion is the part of the service where the Bible is read and prayers are said. People can come to the front of the service to receive a blessing. If you receive communion in your own church you are welcome to receive communion here. This is where Christian share bread and wine to remember Jesus' sacrifice.

If you are new to the Cathedral and wish to receive a blessing it is likely the clergy will ask you if you want to receive a blessing but you can also bring your service book up with you as a sign. Our Volunteer Stewards will indicate when to get up and give directions on where to go during this part of the service.

Bringing children to services

Children are always welcome at Rochester Cathedral. We have a thriving Sunday Club and regularly hold All-Age Worship. The best service to attend are our Sunday services which usually start at 10:30. Find out more about our Sunday Club here

Can I take photos during services?

Photography is prohibited during services. You are welcome to take photos of the building once the service has finished.

Donations/Collections during the service

Attendees for services are invited to give a donation to help support Rochester Cathedral. There is no expectation to do so.

During some services a collection bag for cash donations will be passed around the congregation. This often takes place during a hymn and will be indicated on the Order of Service. It is not compulsory to give any money just pass the bag to the next person. If you do wish to donate then the amount is completely discretionary.

Contactless donation points are available at the exits of Rochester Cathedral if you wish to donate after the service.

Who is taking part in the services?

There are many members of the Cathedral Community supporting our services.

Volunteer Stewards This team welcome people to services and offer direction during many of our services.

Vergers This team support the service and usually wear black.

Clergy These are the vicars or priests who run the service. Services at the Cathedral are usually lead by the Dean of Rochester or one of our Canons. The Bishop of Rochester does not attend our services regularly as they will be at services throughout the Diocese of Rochester. There are usually between 1-3 clergy members at a service.

Which service is right for me?

We have many different services which take place here at Rochester Cathedral. All of these services are open to the public. There are more details of the services here ADD LINK

The best place to look at any changes to our usual service pattern is on our Music List here ADD LINK

Sunday Services

Starts at 10:30 This is our big weekly service. It’s worship for all and it’s a great choice for a first service to attend. The language used will be modern and hymns will be sung during the service.

Evensong

We hold Evensong most days at Rochester Cathedral. On weekdays it is at 17:30 and at weekends/Bank Holidays it is at 15:15. There is always beautiful choral music for this service when the choir are present. The language used is quite traditional. This service may be a good choice for you if you want to observe a service without getting too involved.

Evensong is sometimes replaced with other forms of worship including Evening Prayer. This will be shown on our Music List here ADD LINK

Morning Services

We hold morning services everyday at Rochester Cathedral. Generally, these services are only attended by a few people.

Monday - Friday

07:30 Cathedral open for silence. A wonderful time for reflection or private prayer.

07:40 A short reading takes place followed by Morning Prayer at 07:45. This is a very short service following a book (page numbers are provided). The language used is modern. This service takes place at 08:45 on Saturdays

Everyday

08:00 (9am on Saturdays) Holy Communion. A short service using traditional language. This usually takes place in the Lady Chapel, a small Chapel to the side of the Nave.

Holy Communion

This service takes place every morning (see above). There is an additional service on a Thursday at 13:00.

Praying at Rochester Cathedral outside services

Rochester Cathedral is open daily for private prayer and worship. It is fine to just turn up during opening hours. Do check our website for any upcoming closures here.

We usually have a Chaplain on duty. Chaplains are not always members of clergy but can offer a listening ear and prayer.

Confession

Confession can be arranged in the Cathedral by appointment. Please email info@rochestercathedral.org for more information.

What is the Church of England?

The Church of England is the main Christian community in the United Kingdom. It is sometimes referred to as Anglican. Rochester Cathedral is part of this community.

Finding another church

All are welcome at Rochester Cathedral but if you are looking for a church closer to home or something different then you may wish to look on the A Church Near You website here