Religion
| Religion in Wakefield 2001 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| UK Census 2001 | Wakefield | Yorkshire | England |
| Christian | 78.21% | 73.07% | 71.74% |
| No religion | 11.74% | 14.09% | 14.59% |
| Muslim | 1.14% | 3.81% | 3.1% |
| Buddhist | 0.10% | 0.14% | 0.28% |
| Hindu | 0.20% | 0.32% | 1.11% |
| Jewish | 0.04% | 0.23% | 0.52% |
| Sikh | 0.08% | 0.38% | 0.67% |
| Other religions | 0.18% | 0.19% | 0.29% |
| Religion not stated | 7.57% | 7.77% | 7.69% |
Wakefield's oldest church is All Saints, now Wakefield Cathedral, a 14th century parish church built on the site of earlier Saxon and Norman churches, restored by Sir George Gilbert Scott in the 19th century and raised to cathedral status in 1888. The first bishop of Wakefield was William Walsham How. In 1356 the Chantry Chapel of St Mary the Virgin on Wakefield bridge was built originally in wood, and later in stone. This chapel is one of four chantry chapels built around Wakefield and the oldest and most ornate of the four surviving in England. Wakefield is also known for the Wakefield Cycle, a collection of 32 mystery plays, dating from the 14th century, which were performed as part of the summertime religious festival of Corpus Christi and revived in recent times.
St John's Church was built in 1795 in the Georgian style. Three new Anglican Commissioners' churches, partly financed by the "Million Fund" were built as chapels of ease in the surrounding districts and were St Peter at Stanley in 1824, St Paul at Alverthorpe in 1825 and St James at Thornes in 1831. Holy Trinity in George Street was built in 1838-9. St Andrew's Church opened on Peterson Road in 1846 and St Mary's Church on Charles Street was consecrated in 1864. St Michael's was consecrated in 1861. In the nineteenth century Wesleyan, Primitive and Independent Methodist chapels were opened and the Baptists opened a chapel in George Street in 1844.
The Church of England diocese of Wakefield covers parishes mainly in West Yorkshire, parts of South Yorkshire and five parishes in North Yorkshire. The Rt. Revd. Stephen Platten is the 12th Bishop of Wakefield. There are sixteen Church of England churches in the Wakefield deanery.
Wakefield has two Catholic parishes - in the north St. Martin de Porres incorporates the churches of St. Austin's, Wentworth Terrace opened in 1828 and English Martyrs opened in 1932 on Dewsbury Road, Lupset, and in the south, St Peter and St Paul's off Standbridge Lane which has a modern church built in 1991. Wakefield is in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Leeds.
Agbrigg Muslim Association have a Zakaria Masjid Mosque in Wakefield.
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Famous quotes containing the word religion:
“A heroic figure ... not wholly to blame for the religion that’s been foisted on him.”
—Ezra Pound (1885–1972)
“Talk to me about the truth of religion and I’ll listen gladly. Talk to me about the duty of religion and I’ll listen submissively. But don’t come talking to me about the consolations of religion or I shall suspect that you don’t understand.”
—C.S. (Clive Staples)
“Our religion ... is itself profoundly sad—a religion of universal anguish, and one which, because of its very catholicity, grants full liberty to the individual and asks no better than to be celebrated in each man’s own language—so long as he knows anguish and is a painter.”
—Charles Baudelaire (1821–1867)