Choir sing from the rooftop of Lichfield Cathedral
More than a dozen choristers took to the roof of Lichfield Cathedral to mark Ascension Day.
Thirteen members of the Lichfield Cathedral Girls and Boys Choristers along with lay vicars took part in the service yesterday. They sang The Ascension Antiphon written for them by Richard Lloyd and performed hymn Christ is the King to open the commemoration as a crowd watched on from below before the full service carried on inside.
The cathedral choir has taken part in the tradition for decades and last year even went up to the cathedral spire but that was not possible this time around due to restoration works taking place.
Director of music Ben Lamb said: "For centuries churches and cathedral choirs from across the country have often gone up to the roof for Ascension Day as it is representative of going up to Heaven. We had 10 boys and three girls from the Lichfield Cathedral Girls and Boys Choristers take part as well as lay vicars and myself.
"It is something we do every year. Last year for the first time we went up to the main spire but we are waiting for restoration work for that part of the building to be finished.
"So instead we went up to the rood of the Lady Chapel facing into the town."
He added: "It is quite a way up. Thankfully we could not have had a nicer day. Some time we have gone up there and it has been a bit cold. We stayed up there for about five minutes as a sort of opening and the rest of the service took part inside the cathedral."
Ascension Day is also known as the Feast of the Ascension of Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and is traditionally marked on a Thursday although some church celebrate it on a Sunday. The Christian tradition marks the 40th day of Easter when the body of Jesus Christ ascended to Heaven.
