In November 1940, a priest plucked three large medieval nails from the ashes of the blitzed Coventry Cathedral. Fashioned into a cross, they would be at the centre of the altar crucifix in the modernist masterpiece that rose up alongside. That powerful symbol of resurrection and renewal has been replicated several times, sent out around the world as a reminder that wilful destruction need not be the end of the story.
One such cross can be found in Odessa, where recently, as thousands of Russian troops massed on their border, Ukrainians told the dean of Coventry they had found strength and consolation in his cathedral’s support during eight years of fear and uncertainty. It reflects Coventry’s declared desire to be seen as a city that, defiant in the face of destruction, chose reconciliation over revenge; one that offers sanctuary, welcoming refugees, asylum seekers and migrants; a city where today, 27% of the population was born outside the UK.
