New Bishop committed to restoration of Cathedral

restoration

Reverend Doctor Peter Carrell was ordained the 9th Anglican bishop of Canterbury last Saturday.

The service took place at Christchurch Boys’ High School Auditorium.

It was led by Archbishops Philip Richardson and Don Tamihere.

About 1000 people attended including Anglicans from the diocese and the province, members of the Māori Anglican Church, Tikanga Māori, the Pacific Anglican Church, Tikanga Pasifika, heads of other denominations, civic leaders, business leaders and the new Bishop’s family and friends.

Carrell’s installation was celebrated in a second service in Cathedral Square on Sunday. The bishop said the location of the installation was deliberate.

In an interview prior to his installation, Carrel said he had chosen to hold his installation ceremony in front of the ruined Christ Church Cathedral as a symbol of his commitment to restoration.

“I wanted to make clear that we are really connected to the cathedral and its future in the Square.”

On Sunday he reiterated his commitment: “Today I am not able to be installed inside the cathedral but I am glad to be installed as close to it as safety permits.

One day we will be inside the cathedral again and, when we re-open it, I will stand outside the main doors, eager to bang on the doors with my crozier, a custom normally associated with an installation service.”

The Gothic-style 138-year-old Anglican cathedral was badly damaged in the 6.3-magnitude February 22, 2011, quake that devastated Christchurch.

Last year, the Government and Anglican Diocese of Christchurch agreed on a funding and joint-venture deal for a $104 million restoration.

Two large cranes began work in December to remove steel framing that has propped up the front of the Cathedral for several years.

At the time Keith Paterson said the aim was for the steel framing to be deconstructed by early February, in time for the installation.

Paterson is the project director for Christ Church Cathedral Reinstatement Limited (CCRL).

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News category: New Zealand.

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