Welcome

Welcome to the start of an exciting new project from Sanctus 1. This blog will develop over the next few weeks, so check back soon to see how it progresses. There will be sections to explain more about the project, more about Sanctus 1 and a summary of the shrines being released into the wilds of Manchester's city centre.

The project aims to reinvent shrines for a contemporary western urban environment; to see if we can shake some dust from this most ancient of worship tools; to find a way to help people connect with God in the midst of the Christmas rush...out and about in the city, in their own time and in their own way.

Like advent calendar windows being opened, one shrine will be set up each day, from December 1st to December 24th. Also like an advent calendar there will be an element of surprise, in that the location and design of each shrine will not be shared on the blog until the day of its release.

By Christmas Day, all 24 shrines will have been 'opened' and the hope is to leave them in place until twelfth night (January 6th). That way, you can walk off the Christmas Pud by taking a tour of the shrines (a pilgrimage of sorts).

This project will naturally be enhanced by people visiting the shrines and reporting back, both on their experiences with and views about them. Also let us know what condition they are in, as we expect some of them to suffer a bit from weathering and possibly vandalism. Be our eyes and ears and report back via the comments against each blogged shrine.

I hope you enjoy visiting a shrine or two (or 24) and that they help you to meet with God in a new way. The picture included here is a prototype and should give you small taster of what to expect.