Canterbury Cathedral defends its silent disco event
The cathedral will be holding a 90s-themed disco this evening
Canterbury Cathedral have defended their decision to host a silent disco on Thursday and Friday.
The event will be hosted in its nave, with 3000 people expected to attend across four different sessions. The first two being this evening.
A petition calling on the event to be stopped has had more than 1,500 signatures and a prayer vigil is planned for outside the cathedral.
Leader of the protest Dr Cajetan Skowronski has told us he thinks the event is an insult to Christians.
He said: "Everyone likes silent discos but their place is in a nightclub not in Canterbury Cathedral - the most important Christian church in England".
A silent disco is an event where people dance to music they hear on wireless headphones rather than on speakers.
The event in Canterbury is part of a series of silent discos taking place in cathedrals and historic buildings around the UK and Europe.
The Dean of Canterbury, The Very Reverend Dr David Monteith, said
“We’re looking forward to welcoming all those who will be coming to this week’s retro silent disco in the Nave.
"Cathedrals have always been part of community life in a way much wider than their prime focus as centres of Christian worship and mission.
“Whilst dancing of all different kinds has happened in the Cathedral over the centuries - and The Bible memorably celebrates the gift of dancing with King David dancing before the Lord, there are many different views on the secular and the sacred.
"Our 90s-themed silent disco will be appropriate to and respectful of the Cathedral
"It is categorically not a ‘rave in the nave’ - but I appreciate that some will never agree that dancing and pop music have a place within cathedrals.
“I recently met and prayed with Mr Skowronski who opposes the silent disco and has called for it to be cancelled.
"Whilst we disagree in part about the nature of sacred space, we share the same faith".