Canterbury Cathedral defends decision to host silent disco

The disco in the nave will be attended by 3,000 people across two days

Canterbury Cathedral has defended its decision to host a disco in its nave.

The 90s silent disco will be attended by 3,000 people spread across four sessions on Thursday and Friday.

A cathedral spokesperson insisted the disco would be "appropriate and respectful" and that it was "not a rave in the nave".

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.

A silent disco is an event where people dance to music they hear on wireless headphones rather than on speakers.

The Canterbury event is part of a series of silent discos taking place in cathedrals and historic buildings around the UK and Europe.

A Canterbury Cathedral spokesperson confirmed that alcohol would be on sale at the event.

The Very Rev Dr David Monteith, Dean of Canterbury Cathedral, said: "Cathedrals have always been part of community life in a way much wider than their prime focus as centres of Christian worship and mission.

Dr Monteith added that "whilst dancing of all different kinds has happened in the cathedral over the centuries" he accepted that "some will never agree that dancing and pop music have a place within cathedrals".

The Canterbury silent disco is one of of a series in cathedrals and historic buildings around the UK

Cajetan Skowronski, who set up a petition against the disco, said: "Everyone likes a silent disco. But its place is in a nightclub, not in Canterbury Cathedral - the most important Christian church in England.

"It will not bring young people closer to Christ, rather it will send the message that Christ and his church, and all the truth, beauty and goodness it has to offer, are unimportant - that entertainment deserves our attention more than God."

This is not the first time a cathedral has put on an event to get a different demographic through its doors.

Rochester Cathedral saw a 100% increase in visitors after converting its nave into a crazy golf course in 2019, the same year a full-size helter-skelter was constructed inside Norwich Cathedral.