Manchester reveals plans to mark eighth anniversary of Arena attack
City to pay tribute to victims of 2017 terror attack with services and moments of silence
This Thursday, 22nd May 2025, Manchester will mark the eighth anniversary of the Manchester Arena terror attack, which claimed 22 lives and injured many others in one of the darkest moments in the city’s history.
The commemorations will centre around the Glade of Light Memorial, located near Manchester Cathedral, which serves as a permanent tribute to the victims of the 2017 attack.
Throughout the day, residents and visitors will be invited to reflect, remember, and pay their respects.
City leaders, including Lord Mayor of Manchester Cllr Carmine Grimshaw, Council Leader Cllr Bev Craig, and Council Chief Executive Tom Stannard, will lay floral tributes on behalf of the city at the memorial.
Services at Manchester Cathedral will provide further opportunities for reflection.
The names of those who lost their lives will be read aloud during:
Morning Prayers at 9am Holy Communion at 1.10pm Choral Evensong at 5.30pm The cathedral will remain open to the public all day, welcoming those who wish to light a candle, pray, or sit in quiet contemplation.
Two one-minute silences will be observed at Manchester Victoria Station – one at 12 noon and a second at 22.31pm, the exact time the attack occurred on 22nd May 2017.
“We will never forget”
Cllr Bev Craig, Leader of Manchester City Council, said:
“The 22 May 2017 attack was one of the darkest days in Manchester’s history but its aftermath also showed the city’s remarkable solidarity and Mancunians’ refusal to give in to those who would seek to divide us. “We will never forget those who were lost that day, their loved ones, those who were injured and everyone who was affected. We remember them throughout the year but each anniversary is especially poignant.” The Glade of Light, which officially opened in 2022, includes the names of all 22 victims engraved on white marble and is designed as a space for peaceful remembrance.