Salisbury Cathedral is celebrating in a permanent and public way the 750th Anniversary of the consecration of the completed Cathedral and the 35th anniversary of the unique Salisbury- Sudan link by sculpting a statue of the Sudanese priest Canon Ezra for its magnificent West Front.

The statue, commissioned with the support of The Friends of Salisbury Cathedral, joins 67 statues already positioned on the West Front and will be sited on the North side of the North Aisle door at the lowest level, to the right of Bishop Odo of Ramsbury.

Canon Treasurer of the Cathedral, Mark Bonney, said "We are delighted that the generosity of The Friends of Salisbury Cathedral has enabled us to further enhance the exquisite iconography of the West Front with another statue by Jason Battle. In addition to celebrating our 35 year diocesan link with the Church of the Sudan, the statue also commemorates in Canon Ezra the courageous witness of Christians in that troubled country."

The statue was created by Jason Battle, head carver of the recent repair and conservation of the West Front of the Cathedral. "It was a great privilege to be invited to design and sculpt this new statue of Canon Ezra. Having to work from two rather poor quality photographic images added to the challenge! I began sculpting the stone, a superb block of Chicksgrove Limestone, in February 2008."

"Canon Ezra Baya Lawiri was chosen for this honour following discussions I had during my visit to the Sudan in December 2006. Born in 1917, Canon Ezra was a well-known priest, biblical scholar and translator. In March 1991 he was caught in the crossfire of fierce fighting between government forces and the Sudan Peopleí s Liberation Army just outside Rokom and killed by an artillery shell. It is particularly appropriate that The Bishop of Rokom will be amongst our visiting Bishops."