Cathedrals see growth in congregations

According to the latest statistics from the Archbishops’ Council’s Research and Statistics Unit, cathedral congregations have grown collectively by 37% since the turn of the millennium - a year-on-year average of around 4%.

At Sunday services alone, 15,800 adults and 3,100 children and young people are usually present while over the whole week the figures rise by 73% to 27,400 and 7,600 respectively. Westminster Abbey adds, on average, 1,800 people each week to these numbers.

The Rev Lynda Barley, Head of Research and Statistics, said: “The ministry of cathedrals is valued by many people. They have a treasured place in the heart of the nation and are actively used at key moments in individual lives and on public occasions.”

Midweek attendance has also seen a considerable rise in the last decade, more than doubling and approaching the same level as Sunday attendance.

Cathedrals are key places of daily Christian worship outside Sundays adding an additional 73% to the number of adult attenders and more than doubling the number of children over the whole week.

Rev Barley added: “Cathedrals are proof of the benefit of being open and available throughout the week.

"Attendance at services outside Sundays has grown more significantly by 10% over the past year and will soon double Sunday congregations.

"Steady growth since the beginning of the millennium is encouraging cathedrals to explore the unique position they hold in the life of the nation and is restoring confidence in mission.”

Other statistics show that almost one million people attended the more than 3,150 specially arranged services conducted by cathedrals in 2010.

Whilst regular services attracted nearly two million people, 1.63 million people attended about 5,150 public and civic events arranged in cathedrals.

In 2010, cathedral clergy conducted approximately 760 baptisms and thanksgivings for the birth of a child, 330 marriages and blessings of marriage, 410 funerals and 130 memorial services were conducted by cathedral clergy.

Baptisms of young people and adults (over 13 years of age) and number of child baptisms (aged 1 to 12 years) have almost doubled since the turn of the millennium.