For the initial time in 900 years, young females will be joining the choir at St. Paul's Cathedral on Christmas Day.
St Paul's Cathedral, a historic landmark in London, is set to make history once again as it welcomes its first girl choristers. The Christmas Day carol service, scheduled for Wednesday, will see Lila (11 years old) and Lois (10 years old) taking part in the choir's performance under the 365-foot (111-meter) dome of the cathedral.
The decision to allow girls to join the choir was announced in May 2022, marking a significant step towards gender equality in the cathedral's choral tradition. The first two girls officially joined the choir in June.
St Paul's Cathedral is not new to breaking barriers. It was one of the first Church of England cathedrals to have a female top line independent of the boys, with Leicester leading the way in 1974. Salisbury followed suit in 1991, and many others like York Minster, Durham, and Exeter joined the movement.
The cathedral and school have promised to provide an equal offer for girl and boy choristers. This decision is a reflection of the ongoing inclusion and expansion of female participation in the choir over recent years. Sarah Mullally, the Bishop of London, welcomed Lila and Lois into the cathedral community.
It's worth noting that the architecture of St Paul's Cathedral, designed by Christopher Wren, has been the site of numerous significant state events, such as the wedding of Prince Charles and Diana Spencer in 1981, and the funerals of Winston Churchill in 1965 and Margaret Thatcher in 2013.
In 2019, it was reported that girl choristers now outnumber boys in English cathedrals, marking a significant shift in the 1,100-year-old choral tradition. This trend is evident at St Paul's Cathedral, where girls are now expected to play an equal part when singing at cathedral services and events of national importance.
The Christmas Day carol service will take place at London's St Paul's Cathedral, with the choir performing at services on Christmas Day. A photocall and rehearsal for the Christmas Day service took place on Monday.
This article was updated on 27 December 2024.
[1] Source: St Paul's Cathedral website
[2] Source: BBC News
[3] Source: Church Times
[4] Source: The Guardian
[5] Source: St Paul's Cathedral website
The cathedral's decision to expand its choir to include girls in 2022 highlights a shift towards gender equality in the fashion-and-beauty of the cathedral's traditions. As home-and-garden to the first girl choristers, St Paul's Cathedral continues to break barriers and redefine its choral lifestyle.
