INSPIRING LIVES: Saints, Martyrs & Missionaries – People of Faith at the Heart of the Community
The ‘Inspiring Lives’ project was conceived to share the stories of the Saints, Martyrs, Missionaries and Pilgrims who are commemorated in cathedrals and major churches across the UK and worldwide. Cathedrals and churches play a vital role in our communities. Yet, whilst they are often iconic in the regions they serve, many residents and neighbours have never crossed the buildings’ thresholds to explore their histories.
Most cathedrals and churches are dedicated to a specific saint. Some cathedrals, minsters and abbeys hold the shrines and relics of these saints, and we want to share their stories. These people have inspired faith and supported communities through their teachings, the examples of their lives and their pastoral work.
We wonder how much our local communities know about the heritage and culture attached to their cathedral, abbey or church. Many people are unaware of the Christian values and foundations upon which their daily life and purpose are built. Built often as pilgrimage sites hundreds of years ago, our cathedrals and sacred spaces still welcome pilgrims to their place of prayer, offering a safe space for peace and reflection to anyone seeking solace or answers.
In addition to their regular cycles of prayer and worship, cathedrals and churches have a mission to reach out to the marginalised, the poor, the dispirited and the disengaged. By sharing stories of those most famed for their love of God and for the sacrifices they made, Cathedrals Plus hopes to support its members in reaching new audiences with reimagined stories in the heart of the communities in which they serve.
Project Overview:
The project will produce a range of resources for Cathedrals Plus members to access and use in their outreach work, sharing the stories of Saints, Martyrs and Missionaries. Recounting the stories of how these inspiring individuals sought to serve God and live out their faith, links can be made to the challenging issues that today’s societies face. The project will also therefore collate and curate the stories of ‘living saints’. We hope to discover and share the stories of ‘People of Faith at the Heart of the Community’ who work in and with our cathedrals and churches to improve the lives of others i.e. to improve the lives of people who are experiencing homelessness, suffering from inner-city poverty, inequality and prejudice etc. In sharing the legends of the past with the stories of today, the ‘Inspiring Lives’ project seeks to create new communities and new ministries of welcome and engagement in cathedrals and major churches.
The Project:
Whilst the detailed schedule and output for the project is still being developed, funding for the project in year 1 will support the Cathedrals Plus annual conference in Dublin in January 2026, where guest speakers and workshop leaders will focus on the theme, ‘Inspiring Lives’. We are hugely grateful to Westhill Endowment for awarding a grant to enable us to keep delegate fees to the same as our previous year’s conference, and to support the costs of engaging our inspiring talks & activities throughout the conference. Some of the sessions will be recorded and edited into video resources for our website.
From the feedback and output of our Dublin conference, funding for the project in year 2 will be used to develop a range of resources for our members to use in their outreach work with schools, local communities, families, visitors and pilgrims.
Do you have a story you’d like to share, about an inspiring person of faith that you have met? Have you been heartened by someone’s life and actions (whatever Christian denomination, or indeed whatever faith)? Please do get in touch by emailing sarah.page@cathedralsplus.org.uk
Regular updates on the development of our project will be published on this webpage, and posts shared on Facebook and in our blog too.
