Prayer and Contemplation

Prayer and Contemplation Spaces on Campus

Further details about the health and safety measures in place are available from the student Prayer, Contemplation and Faith-Based Support webpage.

• Claire Chapel in the Emmanuel Centre (near the University entrance close to Parkinson Building) is dedicated for worship in the Christian tradition and is also available for silent personal prayer, contemplation or reflection. Opening hours: Monday to Friday 8.30am – 6pm.
• Green Room (on the side of the Conference Auditorium behind the Edge sports centre) and Cemetery Lodge (on Cemetery Road opposite the Medical and Biological Engineering Building) are Islamic prayer facilities, offering ablution and washroom facilities and separate prayer rooms for men and women. The Green Room has disabled access and washroom facilities. The Green Room is now open from Monday to Friday 11am – 7pm. The Cemetery Lodge is open from Monday to Sunday between 8am and 10pm, all year round. A code is required for access to these spaces, which is available from the Equality & Inclusion Unit, please contact equality@leed.ac.uk. 

• Edward Boyle Library has a small prayer room on Level 11. Ask at reception desk, if you need help to access it.
• Other spaces may sometimes be possible to use a vacant classroom, meeting room or private study area for prayer or contemplation. Please check with reception, the porter or security staff first, to find out if the space is available. For health and safety reasons, corridors and stairwells need to be kept clear, so they can’t be used for prayer.

Prayer and Contemplation Spaces Close to Campus

• Catholic Chaplaincy (5 St. Marks Avenue) opposite the Mechanical Engineering Building, on Woodhouse Lane. Opening hours: University term-time on Sundays for Mass at 10am and 5pm; Tuesdays and Thursdays for Mass at 1.15pm; Wednesdays for Holy Hour 5.30-6.30pm and then Mass at 6.30pm. For access to the chapel at other times please contact the Catholic chaplain.
• Jewish Chaplaincy (Hillel Student Centre, 2 Springfield Mount) – The Hillel House Synagogue has regular Morning Prayer services and offers Orthodox and Egalitarian Friday night services. Opening hours: every day from 9am until 6pm.

Facilities for Washing before Prayer

There are dedicated spaces at Cemetery Lodge and at the Green Room.  Due to Health and Safety incidents, please use other facilities for hand washing only.

Time for Prayer and Religious Observance

If brief periods of regular prayer during the working day are part of your faith practice, the University will accommodate this whenever possible, but you need to make any necessary arrangements for your absence and catch up on any work you miss.

If you can’t attend exams on a Sabbath, holy day or religious festival, make sure you inform the Exams Team by the last Friday in October of the relevant academic year and fill in a “Notification of Religious Commitments” form. The University will try to avoid arranging exams on these days if possible. Information is on the For Students Examinations and Assessment website.

Faith-based Support

You can find support and information related to your faith from chaplains and faith-based advisers, Leeds University Union student faith societies and contacts for different faiths in the local community.

• Leeds Universities Chaplaincy – Tel: 0113 343 5071
• University Muslim Student Adviser – Tel: 07713 707 857
• University Jewish Chaplain – select “University of Leeds”
• Leeds University Union Student Faith Societies
• Contacts for other faiths in Leeds are available from the Universities Chaplaincy

This guidance has been developed by Student Support and the Equality & Inclusion Unit.

Further information, advice and guidance is available from the: Equality & Inclusion Unit and the Universities Chaplaincy Team.