Over 1,000 Anglicans Pack Blackpool for the Diocese of Blackburns Centenary: 100 Years of Church of England Witness in the Industrial North
The Diocese of Blackburn just turned 100. Over 1,000 Anglicans gathered in Blackpool for the centenary celebration on 24 May 2026. The diocese has served Lancashire across 100 years of industrial collapse, demographic change, and post Christian drift, and still musters 1,000 worshippers...
Blackburn Cathedral Joins With Lancashire Parishes for Anniversary Worship Service as Bishop Philip North Reaffirms Mission Across One of England's Most Diverse and Deprived Regions
The Diocese of Blackburn just turned 100. Over 1,000 Anglicans gathered in Blackpool for the centenary celebration on 24 May 2026. The diocese has served Lancashire across 100 years of industrial collapse, demographic change, and post Christian drift, and still musters 1,000 worshippers for a single anniversary service.
Why Blackburn Diocese Still Matters in the Industrial North
Lancashire is one of England's most ethnically diverse and economically pressured counties. Blackburn Diocese has continued to plant churches, run schools, and operate community programmes across that landscape for a century. Bishop Philip North is one of the more theologically traditional Anglican bishops in active leadership and has emphasised the diocese's commitment to mission.
The Crusader's Opinion
One thousand Anglicans in Blackpool on a Sunday afternoon. The Church of England is not dead. She is being rebuilt, parish by parish, by clergy and laity who refuse to write her obituary.
Take Action
- Visit: A Blackburn Diocese parish
- Donate: Diocese mission and education programmes
- Pray: For Bishop Philip North and Lancashire's parishes
