Historic places of Christian worship
Sunderland's St Peter's Church
The church next to St Peter's Campus is the oldest place of Christian worship in Sunderland (and one of the oldest in England). A monastery was founded there in 674 AD by Benedict Biscop. In 681 AD, he founded a sister monastery seven miles to the north at St Paul's Jarrow. The twin monasteries together became a major centre of learning in Anglo-Saxon Northumbria. Their most famous scholar was the Venerable Bede, a historian, theologian, bible translator, and promoter of other learning.
Today, St Peter's Monkwearmouth is an ordinary parish church, although parts of the original building can still be seen. At certain times of the year, it is open to visitors, and there is a display in the church telling more about its history. The Bede's World website contains a wealth of historical information about the twin monasteries of Monkwearmouth and Jarrow, and about Anglo-Saxon Northumbria.
A Bible produced in the twin monasteries some time before 716 AD, known as the Codex Amiatinus, is still in existence, to be found in the Laurentian Library in Florence. For further information and links check the UMILTA website.
St Peter's is occasionally used for Chaplaincy events.
The main Sunday service: 11am.
Sunderland Minster
A church dedicated to St Michael & all Angels has stood on the Minster's site, near the City Centre campus (opposite the Empire Theatre) for over a thousand years. For most of that time, it was known as the Parish Church of Bishopwearmouth (the village upon which parts of the City Centre campus is now built), but was re-named Sunderland Minster in 1998.
The Minster is open for visitors between 9am and 3pm, Monday-Friday, and (being close to Campus) is available as a place for prayer and reflection for staff and students.
The Clocktower Coffee Shop at the Minster is also open from 9am to 3pm, Monday to Friday, and a Fair Trade Shop is usually open from 11am to 1.30pm on the same days.
The Minster has both a traditional (mixed) church choir and a bell-ringing team. Students are welcome as members.
It is used for the main Chaplaincy events, it welcomes students and their families on graduation day, and can also be made available (where appropriate) as a resource for student project work.
The University Chaplain is a member of the staff team at the Minster, along with other clergy who are chaplains to industry, commerce and civic life. The Minster office can be contacted directly by telephone on 0191 565 4066.
For more information on the Minster's current activities and history check the Sunderland Minster website.
