Music & Worship

The act of worship stands at the heart of what we do here at Lincoln Cathedral.

The building in all its splendour and the community in all its dedication were founded and sustained to achieve a single purpose: lifting every one of us, from casual visitor to devout pilgrim, out of our earthly preoccupations and bringing us as close as possible to God.

Over two millennia, the Church has developed many different forms of worship, drawn from a wealth of different interpretations of scripture and spiritual tradition. The Church of England has inherited and modified a great deal of its practices from the elaborate, often puzzling rites and spiritual mysticism that achieved their greatest flowering during the Middle Ages.

Never a monastery in the strict sense, Lincoln Cathedral was built at a time when these islands were bustling with a religious and intellectual industry supported by thousands of monks who were farmers, builders and bee-keepers as well as scribes, book-binders and educators. Looking around the Cathedral you will see much of the infrastructure required by a functioning religious community during the Middle Ages: cloisters, a chapter house, the library with its beautifully preserved medieval manuscripts, writing desks and so on.

Evidence of the spiritual legacy left by our ancestors and predecessors here is all but invisible unless you actually take the time to attend one of the services. You will find details of regular as well as special services by following the link to Music and Services .

Entry to the Cathedral is free if you are attending a service. We welcome everyone and strongly encourage you, whatever your own beliefs or background, to join us by taking a few minutes out of your busy schedule to empty yourself of care and reflect on the wonder and vastness of this magical place, whilst listening to some of the most exquisite music to be heard anywhere in the world.

The relationship between worship and music is extremely ancient, going back beyond even the dawn of Christianity. The impulse to illustrate and embellish our most precious sacred practices with music has found glorious expression in the writing and performance of choral and organ music in this country. A national treasure, English cathedral and collegiate choirs are the unseen guardians of an astonishing musical heritage stretching back nearly a thousand years.

The choristers and ‘lay vicars’ of Lincoln Cathedral choir sing eight services a week (besides hours of rehearsal) to the greater glory of God in this place, juggling their daily singing engagements with the commitments of school, work and family. Follow the link to the Choir page to find out more about this extraordinary tradition. If you are interested in our concert and recital schedule, please click Music Events.