Candlelight, music and an open door: Nightfever at Nottingham Cathedral
On Halloween night, young people from Jesus Youth invited passers-by in to light a candle and pray. See the photos from the night.
It was Halloween, and Jesus Youth was hosting Nightfever. The Cathedral was lit by candles, with a path of tealights running up the aisle, and filled with gentle music. At the heart of it all was the Blessed Sacrament on the altar: the consecrated bread of the Eucharist, which Catholics believe is Jesus Himself.
Young people went out onto Derby Road and invited passers-by to come in for a moment: to light a candle, sit in the quiet and pray. “They look ordinary. They sound ordinary,” said Bishop Patrick McKinney, Bishop of Nottingham. “They like the same sort of music, and so on. And I think that’s attractive.”
Bishop Patrick opened the time of adoration, which is prayer before the Blessed Sacrament, then joined the young people at the door, welcoming people in and walking with them to light a candle. Some arrived in Halloween costume. “It was good fun, actually, watching them and the way they varied,” he said. What stayed with him was “the openness of people as they came through into what is a very beautiful cathedral.”
“Everybody has things on their heart, things that worry them,” he said. “It’s simple. It’s gentle.”
Asked to sum up the night in one word, he chose “Opportunity”. People who walk along Derby Road have told him, “We didn’t know we could come in.” His answer to them, and to you: “And you’re welcome anytime.”
Thank you to everyone who welcomed, sang and prayed, and to everyone who said yes to the invitation. You can see more photographs from the night in our Flickr album.
You don’t need to wait for the next Nightfever. The Cathedral is open every day, so come in, light a candle and sit for a while.
Visit Nottingham Cathedral, North Circus Street, Nottingham NG1 5AE Open every day, 7am–7pm · Free to visit
Nottingham Cathedral: All welcome, always.
