A FLOCK of 18,000 paper doves have been strung together on 15.5 miles of ribbon for a new art installation in Liverpool Cathedral. The work, Peace Doves by the sculptor Peter Walker, is illuminated by a light show and accompanied by a soundtrack, “Ruah Qadeska”, composed by David Harper.

Many of the doves carry prayers and messages of peace written by thousands of schoolchildren and others. The artwork was supposed to have gone on display a year ago, but was delayed by the lockdown.

Peter Walker/Liverpool CathedralPeter Walker/Liverpool Cathedral

The Dean of Liverpool, the Very Revd Dr Sue Jones, said that she had been reading some of the prayers and messages on the doves, “from people paying tribute to those they have lost, to those wishing for better times and, of course, many wishing for peace”.

She invited people to “come and stand, sit, or lie under the installation, and look up at the doves and experience a sense of serenity and peace”.

The installation opened on Thursday, and continues until 31 August. Because of continuing Covid restrictions, visits to the installation must be pre-booked here.

Peter Walker/Liverpool CathedralPeter Walker/Liverpool Cathedral

Peter Walker/Liverpool CathedralSchoolchildren with paper doves