A number of events will celebrate St Werburgh's Catholic Church's 150th anniversary.

The historic city centre building will mark the Feast of St Werburgh, the Patron Saint of Chester, with a Mass of Thanksgiving on Tuesday 3 February at 7.30pm.

A special free concert, featuring the Parish choir and popular local musicians, will also take place on Thursday 5 February at 7.30pm.

Entitled 'Mysteries of Faith', the celebratory concert at St Werburgh's Church will feature a mix of music, song and poetry with performances from the St Werburgh's Parish Choir, the Onslow Quartet, Flautist Daniel Dwyer and popular Chester Violinist Phillip Chidell.

Built between 1873 and 1875, St Werburgh's Church was officially opened in July 1876 with a Pontifical High Mass - the first to be celebrated in Chester for 300 years.

Last October, St Werburgh's welcomed its new Parish Priest, Monsignor David Charters.

He hopes the celebrations will highlight the enduring Catholic presence in Chester, whilst strengthening connections with the wider community.

"While the Mass is a liturgical celebration, all are welcome to attend and share in this moment of gratitude and reflection," said Fr. David.

"The parish community looks forward to welcoming members of the community to our special opening evening concert, which will explore faith, mystery, and beauty through music and the spoken word - classical and contemporary, as we consider how these correspond to the joys and hopes, sorrows and challenges of our own lives."

"This year's St Werburgh's celebrations are an opportunity to give thanks for the past, and to embrace the present and the future with the trust and hope that inspired the building of the church, so that it will continue to be a place of welcome and a reference for the people of this city for many years to come."

Born in around 650 AD, Saint Werburgh is patron of the city of Chester whose Feast Day is celebrated each year on 3 February.

Renowned for her good and holy life, she is associated with stories of many spiritual healings and miracles - the most famous of all being the legend of a goose that St Werburgh restored to life.

At the end of the ninth century, St Werburgh's relics were brought from Hanbury in Staffordshire to Chester for safekeeping. The relics were placed in a church on the site of the present Cathedral, and the church was named in her honour.

Today, St Werburgh's shrine, which dates from Circa 1340, can be found in the Lady Chapel of Chester Cathedral. 

Full details of events celebrating the Feast Day of St Werburgh and the church's 150^th anniversary can be found here.