Lichfield - Religion and Beliefs

Religion and Beliefs

The largest religious denomination in Lichfield parish is Christianity; 78.7% of the people in the area polled as part of the 2001 Census professed the Christian faith. Lichfield has held a religious importance since St Chad became the first Bishop of Lichfield and built a monastery in 669 AD. After Chad's death in 672 AD he was buried in a Anglo-Saxon church which later became part of Lichfield Cathedral.

The Anglican faith is in the majority with three parishes as well as the Cathedral. St Michael’s and St Mary’s serve one parish and Christ Church and St Chad's serve the other two. Lichfield is within the Diocese of Lichfield and represented by Jonathan Gledhill, the 98th Bishop of Lichfield.

There are two Roman Catholic churches, Holy Cross and SS Peter & Paul, which are part of the Archdiocese of Birmingham. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has a meetinghouse on Purcell Avenue on the north side of the city. In the city centre there is a Methodist church and Wade Street Church, which is a United Reformed and Baptist church. There is a Pentecostal Church under the name Emmanuel Christian Centre in Nether Stowe and the Christadelphian Hall on Station Road. The Jehovah's Witnesses have a Kingdom Hall on Lombard Street.

There are five faith schools in the city, all of which are primary schools. St Michael’s C of E School, Christ Church C of E School and St Chad’s C of E (VC) School are all Church of England faith schools. St Joseph's RC School and SS Peter & Paul School are Roman Catholic faith schools.

There are no places of worship in Lichfield for any other major world religions.

Humanists and atheists in Lichfield are supported by the Lichfield, Walsall & South Staffordshire Humanists (LWASS), affiliated to the British Humanist Association.