As Lent approaches, climaxing in the Passion of our Lord, it was particularly appropriate that on February 8th a Coventry Cross of Nails was presented to St George's Cathedral in Jerusalem
The Dean of Coventry, the Very Rev'd John Witcombe presented the Cross personally at the main Eucharist service, at which this Mother Church in Jerusalem became a member of the ecumenical Community of the Cross of Nails; a Community founded exactly fifty years ago.
The history of the Cross of Nails goes back to the night of 14 November 1940 when the city of Coventry was mercilessly bombed during the Second World War. 43,000 homes were either damaged or destroyed, and over 500 people died. The raid was so complete that it coined a new word in the German language coventrieren, meaning to annhiliate a city.
The ancient cathedral of St Michael was largely destroyed. Walking through the ruins the following day, the then Dean saw two charred roof timbers which he bound together into a cross and chalked upon it the words "Father Forgive." A more permanent representation can be seen in Coventry today adjacent to the new Cathedral which grew from the ruins and has become a centre for a ministry of reconciliation. Also found were some ancient mediaeval nails, and they were also fashioned together to make a cross.
From 1947 the "Cross of Nails" came to symbolise the need for reconciliation and forgiveness in troubled spots in the world, and since then hundreds of replica crosses have been given to churches which are situated in places in which forgiveness and reconciliation are sorely needed. There is one at the doorway of St Andrew's Church in Kyrenia. The Community of the Cross of Nails is based at Coventry still and the Litany of Reconciliation is prayed there every day at noon, with the congregational response of "Father Forgive" echoing those first chalked words.
Canon Dr Don Binder, Canon Pastor at St George's writes:
The Cross of Nails, which he presented to us will serve as an incarnational reminder of this Christian calling as we seek to move forward in the aftermath of our own recent war (which, tragically, doesn't seem to have yet ended). We thank Dean John for his faithfulness to the ministry of reconciliation at Coventry Cathedral, and we look forward to advancing this partnership between our two cathedrals in the months and years ahead.
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