INSIDE CANTERBURY CATHEDRALCanterbury
Cathedral has been a site of religious worship for over 1,000 years.
It's a symbol for church goers all over the world. Five
million tourists, worshippers and pilgrims flock to the cathedral
every year. The
cathedral's previous figurehead, George Carey, is just getting used
to retirement. Until this summer, he was the 103rd Archbishop of
Canterbury. It's
the end of an era for both the cathedral and George Carey. The
Archbishop of CanterburyGeorge
Carey has been at the centre of English life and the Anglican church
for over 11 years. He's
led two royal funerals - the Queen Mother's this year, and Princess
Diana's in 1997. In
between conducting religious ceremonies and major state events,
the George travels extensively. His
travels have taken him to war zones like Rwanda. He's
also championed the cause of women, bringing about the first ordination
of women priests. So
will George be hanging up his robes and taking life easy in retirement? "I'm
going to rest a bit, and will enjoy ordinary things. My wife and
I enjoy music, theatre, walking, visit friends," says George. You're
also likely to find him doing a touch of fishing. Life
inside the cathedralKeeping
the cathedral ticking is a tough job with more than 1,000 years
of wear and tear to cope with.  | | Year-round
maintenance is a military operation with an army of stone masons |
The
task calls for a team of 200 staff and 500 volunteers to keep the
cathedral looking in tip top condition for thousands of visitors. One
of the biggest jobs is preserving the building itself for future
generations. There's
a huge team of conservationists working to preserve the masonry,
stained glass windows, and historic treasures. Nine
stone masons work around the clock to keep the cathedral building
looking in perfect condition. It's
a never-ending task. The
stone masonry team uses many of the same tools and methods as the
original builders, whilst also employing the very latest in modern
conservation techniques. Life
inside the cathedralLife
inside the cathedral is tranquil and calm, but behind the scenes
it's a hive of activity. As
Archbishop, george worked closely with his team of clerics and cathedral
staff. The
Dean, the Canon, the Canon Treasurer, the Archdeacon, and the Master
of the Choristers look after the religious side of cathedral life. The
conservation team includes an archivist, a stained glass restoration
team, and stone masons. There's
also a busy administrative team -
the librarian, the head of visitor services, the
receiver general,the education officer and cathedral shop manager. The
list is endless... and also includes an army of volunteers. Looking
to the futureThe
new Archbishop, Dr Rowan Williams, steps into the most important
role in the English church next February. He'll
be enthroned in early 2003 in a major ceremony.  | | The
cathedral welcomes its 104th Archbishop in 2003 |
Dr
Williams is looking forward to the challenge, "An enormous
trust has been placed in my hands, and I can only approach it with
a degree of awe as well as gratitude that I have been thought worthy
of it."
"Archbishop Carey has set a very high standard," he says. "I
hope with all my heart that I can serve to nurture confidence and
conviction in our Church, and to help Christian faith to capture
the imagination of our people and our culture." The
future of the cathedral looks safe in the hands of its incoming
Archbishop and his hard working team. | 
听听Inside Out - South East: Monday 28th October, 2002
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