More than 600 people attended the bi-annual Festival of Faith and Literature in late February, breaking attendance records. 

Run by Hymns Ancient and Modern, who call it a ‘literary festival with a theological slant’, the festival was held at the University of Winchester and in Winchester Cathedral. 

The event from February 24-26, with around 25 sessions from a variety of speakers including the Archbishop of York, Stephen Cottrell, former Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams and the Bishop of Chelmsford Guli Francis-Dehqani.

The festival offered a combination of talks, readings and discussions to hundreds of attendees, with even more tuning in via livestreams. Historian Suzannah Lipscomb discussed the spiritual inheritance of Mary Tudor, more than 450 years after she married Phillip II of Spain in the very same cathedral. 

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Church House bookshop saw many visitors throughout the festival, and festival-goers were treated to music sung by Index Cantorum, a group of singers who have recently performed frequently in and around Winchester Cathedral. There were also literary tours of the cathedral, and a two-hour walk around the area. 

Festival director Sarah Meyrick said: “It was wonderful to be back in-person again and we are delighted that so many people came along and helped make this a vibrant event where books and faith are explored and celebrated. We are especially delighted that there were so many new faces alongside those who have been to previous events.”

Sarah also mentioned that they hope to hold another festival in February 2025. Other events in the works for this year include a Festival of Poetry, set to be held in the spring.