125 MACQUARIE STREET HOBART TASMANIA 7000 GPO BOX 748 HOBART TASMANIA 7001
Friday, 29 January 2016
MEDIA RELEASE
60 years after a small stone cross of great significance was stolen from Hobart’s St. David’s Cathedral, a Canterbury Cross will be returned to St. David’s at this Sunday’s service.
In 1932, a Canterbury Cross, a symbol of unity within the Anglican Communion, carved out of stone pieces from Canterbury Cathedral was sent to every Anglican Cathedral in the world as an expression of unity. Canterbury is the spiritual home of the Anglican Communion.
The Canterbury Cross at St. David’s was stolen in the mid 1950’s and with that act, the symbolic connection was broken.
This weekend, a Canterbury Cross has returned to St. David’s Cathedral after 60 years through a couple of chance conversations and acts of generosity.
The Dean of Hobart, The Very Rev’d Richard Humphrey, when visiting Canterbury in 2012, mentioned the theft of St. David’s Canterbury Stone to a member of staff who suggested asking for a new one.
Canterbury Cathedral was happy to provide a cross although it would take time and transport would need to be arranged.
Three years on and the cross is now ready. The Dean happened to mention this to Graham Reeve, a Qantas pilot, who volunteered, with Qantas agreement, to pick it up and deliver it.
So in late January the Canterbury Cross was entrusted to Graham by the Dean of Canterbury, The Very Rev’d Dr Robert Willis, in the presence of The Most Reverend Philip Freier, Anglican Primate of Australia, and former Cathedral priest Will Briggs.
This Sunday Graham will present the cross to the Dean at 9.45am and then to the congregation of the Cathedral early in the 10am service.
The Dean of Hobart said there is no greater symbol of unity in the Christian Church than the Cross of Jesus so we are grateful for the gift of a Canterbury Cross.
“We pray that it will encourage us to work for unity within the Church and the Communion as we serve our Saviour.”
[email protected] www.saintdavids.org.au
