A MOVING civic service and vigil will be held to mark the 85th anniversary of the Coventry Blitz.
Coventry Cathedral and Ruins will host the events on Friday November 14.
The theme of the civic event is ‘remembering well to move forward’ – offering a moment of reflection and an opportunity to think about how to work towards peace and reconciliation in the future.
The service, which starts at 5.30pm, will be led by the Very Reverend John Witcombe, Dean of Coventry.
It will include contributions from Coventry schools, faith leaders, and choral pieces.
Guests from Germany will join the service via video link for the National Gathering of the Community of the Cross of Nails in Münster, Germany.
Following the service, civic guests and service attendees will move into the iconic Cathedral Ruins as two sirens sound at 6.55pm to mark the exact time of the air raid in 1940.
This will be followed by a two-minute silence and an opportunity for people to pay their respects or take a moment to remember those who suffered on the fateful night in 1940.
The event will close with the performance of a specially commissioned Choral Piece ‘Litany of Reconciliation’ by Ben Ponniah, and a peal of the cathedral bells.
Coun Abdul Salam Khan, Deputy Leader of Coventry City Council, said: “The 85th anniversary of the Coventry Blitz is a major date in the city’s history and event calendar, and we are proud to be jointly hosting a civic event with the cathedral, timed specifically to coincide with November 14
“Sadly, although the number of people who lived through and remember the terrible events have reduced with each passing year, it’s only right as a city we continue to remember all those who lost their lives and suffered the trauma of November 14 and in the aftermath.
“We are welcoming people to join with us in being part of a moving and poignant service to mark the anniversary and vigil, alongside civic guests, and faith leaders in our community.
“This period in our history also showed how, as a city, an amazing sense of community spirit and resilience came to the fore and this still remains today, along with a strong sense of civic pride.
“Coventry will always remember and continue to work for a better future.”
Reverend Kate Massey, Canon for Arts and Reconciliation at Coventry Cathedral said the night of November 14, 1940 was a night of devastation for the city and the cathedral – but also the beginning of ‘something remarkable’.
She said: “The people of Coventry committed not only to rebuilding their city but also to rebuilding their relationships with those who were their enemies. Our city and our cathedral became known globally in the years that followed for our work in reconciliation.
“On this 85th anniversary, we pass on the baton from the generation who made that first decision for peace to a new generation of Coventrians.
“As we remember, we allow our city’s story to inspire us to continue the work of reconciliation in a world that needs healing and hope.”
The public are welcome to attend the civic service in the Cathedral and the Vigil in the Cathedral Ruins. Both are free, ticketed events.
Visit www.coventrycathedral.org.uk/events/coventry-blitz-85th-anniversary-service for tickets. A limited number of tickets will also be available in the cathedral’s Gift Shop.
A wider programme of events to mark the Coventry Blitz 85th anniversary will take place in the lead-up and during the anniversary weekend.
