by Julian Mann, Anglican Ink
The newly-appointed suffragan Bishop of Doncaster presided over a Holy Communion service featuring ‘Gaia’ as the centrepiece when she was vicar of the prestigious Lancaster Priory in Blackburn Diocese.
Introducing a video of the service in July 2022, promoted on the Church of England’s YouTube channel, the Rev Leah Vasay-Saunders said:
‘Lancaster Priory is hosting a 26-day Festival of the Earth, of which the centrepiece is Luke Jerram’s world-renowned installation, “Gaia”. We have been thinking about how we create opportunities as people visit our church and experience the awe and wonder of this art to enable them to see and experience something of the work of God in our world and through the work of God’s Church.’
Mr Jerram’s website says of this touring artwork measuring seven metres (around 23 feet) in diameter: ‘When presented indoors, the Earth artwork slowly revolves. A specially made surround sound composition by BAFTA award winning Composer Dan Jones is played alongside the sculpture. In Greek Mythology Gaia is the personification of the Earth.’