Gloucester Cathedral choir will once again scale the 269 steps of the Cathedral Tower to sing for the end of the Ascension Day service on Thursday 14 May. This service, order marking Christ’s Ascension into heaven happens each year at 7.00am and finishes with a procession outside to hear the choir sing from Gloucester’s own ‘heaven’ – the top of the tower.
Ascension Day is always an exciting event for the young choristers. The boys are asked to get in early at 6.45am for a quick rehearsal. Near the end of the service at around 7.45am they climb to the top of the tower while the congregation gathers in the precincts below. Once they have caught their breath, the choir will sing the motet “Ascendo ad Patrem meum, Schlick”.
Afterwards everyone tucks in to a well-deserved breakfast of bacon and eggs at the King’s School.