John’s Chronicle Deputy Editor, Dan Bavister, reports on the service of celebration and inauguration of Professor Jolyon Mitchell as Principal of St John’s College.
By Dan Bavister
Tuesday 6 February marked the inauguration of Professor Jolyon Mitchell as the Principal of St John’s College and a service to celebrate St John’s College. Jolyon will be the thirteenth to hold this prestigious office since the College’s founding in 1909, more than a century ago.
The service, held in Durham Cathedral, commenced at 7.25pm with the arrival of the Mayor of Durham, Councillor Lesley Mavin, who was greeted and escorted to her seat by the Very Reverend Dr Philip Plyming, the Dean of Durham.
At 7.30pm the gathered crowd rose to the arrival of the Chapel Choir and ministers. Singing filled the vaulted heights of the grand house of prayer, the Cathedral lit with a sense of the eternal divine that was nonetheless rooted very much in that space and time. In that moment, history was invoked in the here and now, as that sacred place, whose past can be traced back to Cuthbert and to Bede, was invigorated with new life.
The service was introduced by the Most Reverend and Right Honourable Stephen Cottrell, the Archbishop of York. Lines from the biblical book of Matthew were read aloud by select current members of St John’s, who called out into the broad space, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs in the kingdom of heaven.”
Next came the Prayer of Confession, wherein was proclaimed: “You [God] delight in creation, its colour and diversity; yet we have misused the earth and plundered its resources.”
The challenges of climatic and ecological collapse remain close to those at St John’s, as appeals to mercy from Christ were made in light of humankind’s dereliction of nature and landscape. This moment in the service was particularly touching.
However, the Confession ended on an optimistic note, with the stirring and righteous appeal that God will “help us work for a world where swords are beaten into ploughshares, and spears into pruning hooks, and where just peace may flourish.” All gave a hearty Amen to these noble sentiments, which are characteristic of the strong ethical outlook of St John’s, and indeed demonstrated by Jolyon in his past career in Middle Eastern peace-making.
With all the heady richness of a Jacobean masque, there were then a succession of celebrations of college life. Professor Karen O’Brien, the Vice-Chancellor of Durham University, spoke on the College’s place in the University. St John’s, one of the two independent colleges in Durham University, holds a unique place, enjoying both the world-renowned reputation of our university as a place of academic excellence, while also remaining highly autonomous. At John’s, we often can choose to do things a little differently to the rest of our university community, and all in our college community would agree that our independence is one of our great strengths.
Next the Dean of Durham, the Very Revd Dr Philip Plyming, spoke on the College’s place in the Church, emphasising that St John’s, while possessing a rich Anglican heritage, is a place for all interpretations of Christ’s message, for bearers of all other faiths, and of no faith. What underpins St John’s is our strong spirit of kindness. The words of the Dean flowed seamlessly into a rendition of exquisite song from the Bailey Theatre Company’s upcoming performance of Singin’ in the Rain, featuring a brilliant piano accompaniment from Jonjo Palmer.
Several readings from biblical verse, including a lovely section from the book of Luke read by Cranmer Hall staff member the Reverend Steve Muneza and St John’s student Olivia Chatterley, preceded the Inauguration vow. The Archbishop of York asked that Jolyon work alongside “colleagues, staff, students” and “all people of good will” to further the life of St John’s college, and in reply Jolyon answered: “With God’s help I will”.
Jolyon formally sworn in as our new Principal of St John’s College, the congregation was invited to receive those around them with greetings of peace, before Dr Margaret Masson, the Principal of St Chad’s College, delivered a reading of the Seamus Heaney poem, ‘The Cure at Troy: A Version of Sophocles’ Philoctetes’.
After the service, the crowd retired to the Leech Hall at St John’s College, for the sharing of refreshments alongside wine and non-alcoholic drink options. Altogether, the service felt historic and timely in equal measure, the whole event permeated by the sustained sense of friendship and kindness which characterises our college community.
A recording of the service can be viewed on the St John’s College Youtube channel.
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