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Although St Wilfrid's Church was opened in 1864, as the pro-Cathedral for the Diocese of Beverley, our church was not consecrated at that time.
On 29th April 1942, York saw one of its worst nights, when the Luftwaffe bombed our City, not for military purposes, but to lower British morale by striking at historic and cultural centres. This was one of the so-called 'Baedeker raids', named after the pre-war guidebooks used to find suitable architectural targets.
One bomb went off in Blake Street, next to Duncombe Place, and the shock of the blast knocked out the stained glass windows, which were once above the High Altar of St Wilfrid's.
It must have been a difficult time to clean up the debris, repair, and make the church fit for purpose again. The windows were replaced with plain glass. By the end of the war in Europe, everything was back in place, and it was decided to dedicate St Wilfrid's on 14th July 1945.
The ceremony was carried out by Bishop Thomas Shine, second Bishop of Middlesbrough.
Each year on 14th July the twelve consecration candles are lit, marking the places where Bishop Shine anointed the walls of the church with sacred Chrism.
The feast of the consecration of the church is a reminder that we are living stones, building up the Church, and are called to holiness, just as the church building is holy and set apart for worship.
This year 14th July fell on a Sunday, and so it was a good day on which to unveil and bless the new statue of St Wilfrid, patron of our church, parish, and school, and to ask his guidance and protection.
