Coventry Cross comes to Otago Peninsula Parish

Part of the rebuilding of the Cathedral didn't just involve a new church rising from the ashes, it included a commitment to being a place of healing and reconciliation.

The cathedral stonemason, Jock Forbes, noticed that two of the cathedral’s charred roof timbers had fallen in the shape of a cross. He bound them together and placed them on an altar of rubble in the cathedral. The vicar of nearby church, St Mark’s, the Rev'd Arthur Wales, fashioned together three of the medieval nails that had fallen from the roof.

This became the first Cross of Nails. Reminded of another day of darkness, when Jesus was nailed to the cross, Provost Richard Howard took some chalk and wrote ‘Father Forgive’ on the charred walls of the cathedral. It is significant he wrote only two words, he did not write ‘Father Forgive Them.’ He wanted everyone to recognise their own part in the destructive patterns of behaviours which can lead to disaster. Provost Howard also wanted to make a commitment not to seek revenge but to strive for reconciliation with the enemy – a view very different to the media and government messages at the time

(follow this link for more information and a video produced by the Diocese of Coventry telling some of this story).

Fast forward to today, and replicas of the Coventry Cross have found their way to many parts of the world, symbolising the commitment of faith communities to a way of peace and reconciliation. In 1976 recipients of the Cross of Nails formed an ecumenical ‘Community of the Cross of Nails’ (CCN).

On Sunday 23 March at 7 pm, Jane and Martin Williams from Coventry will be handing over one of these crosses to St Michael's in Anderson's Bay. The Otago Peninsula Parish are hoping that this service will be one where stories of reconciliation will take centre stage... and that in the future the cross itself can "wander" in various venues throughout the Diocese.

The Otago Peninsula Parish would love to have you take part in this service - and if you want to have the cross visit your place, contact:

Rev'd Michael and Rev'd Mary-Jo Holdaway   

Otago Peninsula Anglican Parish  

Phone: Mary-Jo 027 715 1806 

Phone: Michael 027 236 8714