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Bible textile display opens at UK's biggest cathedral

BBC tapestry panels of an angel, Jesus and disciple with fishes and net, and in a white robe beneath a white doveBBC
The Biblical narrative of Jesus is among a trilogy of tapestries stitched over a decade

A textile exhibition of the Bible story, which has taken 10 years to stitch, has opened at the UK's largest cathedral.

More than 40 panels – standing 3m (9.8ft) high – make up the trilogy of tapestries, known as the Threads through the Bible installation, on display at Liverpool Cathedral.

It is believed to be possibly the largest textile project made by a single person, following a labour of love by Manchester-born artist Jacqui Parkinson.

Now based in Devon, she said: "I went to Regent's Park and did one textile workshop and enjoyed it so much that here I am all these years later with this very large piece of work."

Jacqui Parkinson, wearing a red jacket, standing in her exhibition space in the vast gothic-style Liverpool Cathedral
Jacqui Parkinson started the project in 2014 after going to a workshop in London

Having taught drama and set up an arts centre in London, she was challenged by her late husband Rev Rob Frost to learn a different skill as a new year's resolution and became hooked on embroidery, going on to study a degree in the subject.

Ms Parkinson then broadened her horizons on seeing the large works by late artist Marc Chagall in France.

She used vintage bedsheets, silks and gold leaf for her first huge display Threads through Revelation – which focuses on the last parts of the Bible - in 2014.

It has been viewed, along with the later Threads through Creation, by thousands of people at various cathedrals.

Now for the first time, they are being displayed together with her final section in the trilogy, Threads through the Cross, which depicts key moments from the Biblical narrative of Jesus.

Gold, red and brown stitching detail from a panel
Ms Parkinson used about 25 million stitches on the project

Neal Barnes, Sub-Dean at Liverpool Cathedral, said: "Here we have, at the darkest time of the year, this vibrant, colourful panoply.

"The lovely thing about this is - it doesn't matter what language you speak or what culture - the pictures speak to you and I think anyone, whether they're a person of faith or no faith could really enjoy this."

The display can be seen at Liverpool Cathedral until 3 March, before it moves to Southwell Minster and Ely Cathedral.

There are already plans for it be exhibited at six more locations until 2027.

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