Prayer, contemplation and faith-based support
Our quiet spaces, prayer facilities and faith-based support give you the chance to take a break, reflect, and connect with local faith communities.
The University has a number of spaces on campus available for prayer and quiet contemplation, whether you practise a particular faith or not. If you practise a faith, you can be confident that you will be able to follow your beliefs in Leeds and find support and information related to your faith.
Prayer
Emmanuel Centre
The Emmanuel Centre is managed by the Universities’ Chaplaincy in Leeds (the Christian Chaplaincy for the University of Leeds, Leeds Beckett University, Leeds Arts University and University of Law, Leeds). There is space for private prayer in the Claire Chapel. Information about opening times and worship activities are on the Chaplaincy website.
Catholic Chaplaincy
For information about the chapel in the Catholic Chaplaincy, opening times and worship activities visit the Catholic Chaplaincy website.
Muslim Prayer Rooms
The Green Room
The Green Room is our main Muslim prayer space on campus, open Monday to Friday 11.00 - 23.00 and located on the side of the Conference Auditorium, behind the Edge. It offers separate prayer rooms, ablution and washroom facilities for brothers and sisters, and has disabled access and washroom facilities. Contact equality@leeds.ac.uk to ask for the access code for the Green Room.
During Ramadan from 11 March until Sunday 14 April the Green Room will be open 24 hours every day including weekends.
Cemetery Lodge – fully closed for refurbishment.
This building is currently inaccessible due to a full refurbishment of the site.
Clarendon Road Temporary Prayer Space
During the refurbishment of Cemetery Lodge, temporary prayer spaces and washroom facilities have been set up for both brothers and sisters.
The Clarendon Road temporary prayer facilities have now reopened in their new location at the rear of the Mechanical Engineering Building. These facilities are open 11:00-19:00 Monday – Friday.
School of Electronic and Electrical Engineering – new temporary prayer space
The temporary prayer space within the School of Electronic and Electrical Engineering is located on Level 2 (room 2.56) and is open Monday to Friday, 9.00 -17.30.
Please note there are two separate entrances to the prayer space, one for brothers and one for sisters.
What you can find in this temporary prayer space:
- shoe racks and prayer mats
- toilet facilities for ablution: for brothers, the closest facilities are located near the prayer room; for sisters, the closest facilities are on Level 1.
If you need more information or assistance, please ask at the reception in the Electrical Engineering building.
For more information about prayer facilities and Friday prayers, contact the Leeds University Union Islamic Society or Sister Farhat Yaqoob, Muslim Student Adviser, on f.yaqoob@leeds.ac.uk.
Hillel House
The Hillel Student Centre Synagogue holds regular Morning Prayer services and offers Orthodox and Egalitarian Friday night services.
Leeds University Union Building
Leeds University Union offers a reflection room on level 1 and ablution facilities are available. You can find out more about the facilities from the staff at the Help & Support desk in LUU Foyer.
Edward Boyle Library
There is a small prayer room on level 11 (north side) of the Edward Boyle Library. The occupancy is currently limited to 1 person at a time. The door is kept unlocked. Ask at the Edward Boyle enquiry desk if you need help to access it.
Laidlaw Library
There is a prayer room available in room G08 on level 3 of the Laidlaw Library with capacity for up to 8 people. Ask at the Laidlaw Library enquiry desk if you need help to access it.
Health Sciences Library
There is a prayer room available in the Health Sciences Library. Ask at the Health Sciences enquiry desk to access it.
Spaces for quiet contemplation on campus
St George’s Field
Hidden within the campus is a cemetery site called St George’s Field, which is an important piece of Leeds's Victorian history. St George’s Field is a peaceful green space to visit.
Chancellor’s Court
Another outdoor space you might want to bear in mind if you're looking for peace and quiet is Chancellor’s Court – an open area next to the Roger Stevens Lecture Theatre.
Indoor spaces
Quiet space indoors might be hard to come by during term-time. However, the Stanley & Audrey Burton Gallery and Treasures of the Brotherton Gallery are hidden gems in the Parkinson Building at the heart of the University of Leeds campus. They house temporary exhibitions and treasures from the University’s library and art collections.
Other spaces
It may sometimes be possible to use a vacant classroom, meeting room or private study area for prayer or contemplation. Please check with the reception, 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.
Faith-based support
You can find support and information related to your faith from chaplains and faith-based advisers and Leeds University Union student faith societies.