Ely Cathedral shows compassion for Orlando victims

Ely Cathedral may not be allowed to fly a Gay Pride flag – but it has shown its compassion for victims of Orlando’s homophobic mass shootings in other ways.
This week, numerous Spotted in Ely followers have asked whether the cathedral would raise a rainbow flag in solidarity with victims of the Pulse gay nightclub massacre in Florida – so we asked them directly.

A spokeswoman said the cathedral was governed by Church of England guidance which restricted the types of flags it could fly.
However, staff decided to keep the rainbow coloured lights by the West Door, Galilee Porch, as a “beautiful tribute to Orlando.”
The lights were initially installed to commemorate Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.
“Instead of taking them down aftewards we just left them there.”
Last Sunday gunman Omar Mateen killed 49 people and maimed 53 others at the nightclub in Orlando – the worst mass shooting in America’s history.
Following the massacre, residents have been paying tribute to the victims, with LGBTQ in Ely organising a candlelit vigil in Market Square and the Environment Agency’s LGBT friends network flying the flag at half mast yesterday in Ely.