Two Church leaders from the Diocese of Chelmsford have received the gift of a stone from one of the spires of Lichfield Cathedral as a "lasting symbol of faith and shared heritage".
The Bishop of Chelmsford, Guli Francis-Dehqani, and the Dean of Chelmsford, Jessica Martin, travelled to Lichfield to collect the stone last Friday after they were commissioned with the special task at the end of the 2025 Bradwell Pilgrimage.
The stone will be placed at the altar of St Peter-on-the-Wall at Bradwell-on-Sea, in Essex, to recognise the historic connections between the Dioceses of Lichfield and Chelmsford.
Those connections go back to some of the earliest days of Christianity in Britain. In the seventh century St Cedd, following his studies at Lindisfarne, became a missionary bishop to the Midlands, and later to the East Saxons - from which the term Essex is derived.
St Cedd is believed to have built St Peter's Chapel in around 654 AD. His brother St Chad, who also studied at Lindisfarne, became the Bishop of Lichfield.
St Peter’s Chapel, which remains a place of worship to this day, is already home to stones connecting it with Britain’s Christian heritage, including from Iona, Lindisfarne and Lastingham. The stone from Lichfield will continue that pattern and add to the theme of this year’s Bradwell pilgrimage – “Living Stones”.
The Bishop of Lichfield, Michael Ipgrave, together with Canon Chancellor Gregory Platten, presented the Chelmsford leaders with the stone.
The next step will be for the stone to be consecrated during this year’s pilgrimage, and after that to be placed within the altar at St Peter’s.
Bishop Francis-Dehqani said, “We were warmly welcomed at Lichfield Cathedral, and it was wonderful to celebrate the bond between our two dioceses.
"The story we share - of Cedd and Chad - is not merely part of our history, but a living faith that continues to unite and inspire us.
"This stone stands as a powerful symbol of that story: of faith, mission and our shared heritage. I am delighted that it will be placed within the altar at St Peter’s Chapel in Bradwell-on-Sea and I look forward to celebrating its new home at this year’s Bradwell Pilgrimage.”
