A cathedral of our time

In 1962 a magnificent new cathedral was consecrated in Coventry, and bishops and archbishops from all over the world attended. They came to see a cathedral of our time, built using the skills and ideas of our day.

During the Second World War, the old cathedral had been destroyed in a terrible night of bombs which killed many people in the city. Only the walls of the cathedral remained but people immediately made a new altar with the fallen stones. The altar cross was made from burnt wood and nails from the ruins. Immediately after the war, a similar nail cross was taken to Kiel in Germany as a sign of friendship, and a stone from the ruins of Kiel Cathedral was given to Coventry in return. This is the Kiel Stone of Forgiveness, now in the Chapel of Unity.

Also after the war a group of young Germans helped to clear one corner of the ruined cathedral.

Today this area is the Centre for International Understanding where young people of all nationalities can meet.

The new cathedral looks very modern, but it is joined physically and spiritually with the old. Together they remind us of the madness of war.

Susan Sheerin, Jonathan Seath, Gillian White: Spotlight on Britain; Oxford University Press, 1985, page 54

Why do you think the ruins of the old cathedral were left standing?

The title calls this a cathedral of our time. Why? Can you think of more than one reason?

The author of this text writes of 'madness of war'. Do you agree? Is war ever justified?