The ordination of priests on Saturday afternoon was the second special service of the day – a bumper crop of 18 people had been ordained as deacons in the morning. The candidates to be ordained as priests were part of that service too.

Then just before 4pm, they spent a few minutes in silence in the ancient east end of our cathedral, as they prepared to be ordained in this new role. They were presented to the bishop for ordination by the Director of Vocations and Ordinands, Canon Peter Hall, and the Initial Ministerial (4-7) Officer, the Rev Richard Wyld. Among others, the bishop asked the gathered congregation if they believed these candidates should be ordained as priests.

The Rev Kathryn Percival, Archdeacon of the Meon, who had led the pre-ordination retreat, preached on the passage in John’s gospel where the risen Jesus appears to his disciples in a locked room. The ordinands then made their promises about their discipleship and future ministry to the bishop before the ordination itself.

Each of the six candidates came forward, so the bishop could lay his hands on their head. Other priests then gathered around each candidate, to emphasise the collegiate nature of this new ministry. The bishop then anointed each newly-ordained priest with a special oil, symbolising their new ministry.

The new priests then gathered around the altar at the east end of the cathedral as Bishop Jonathan celebrated the Eucharist, Each was presented with a Bible, chalice and paten to symbolise their new ministry. And then they processed through the cathedral and out of the west door with their training incumbent.