Services of remembrance for the Queen in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland
The coffin of Queen Elizabeth II lies on the catafalque at St Giles Cathedral, Edinburgh, the High Kirk of the Church of Scotland. Thousands have queued overnight to pay their respects.
The coffin arrived after a procession along the royal mile from Holyroodhouse, where it had remained the night before. Crowds lined the streets to see the cortege pass, with military escort and accompanied by her children.
At St Giles, the coffin was laid down, draped in the Royal Standard, with the Crown of Scotland, dating from 1503, resting on top.
The service of thanksgiving included readings given by the First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and the Roman Catholic Archbishop of St Andrews and Edinburgh, Leo Cushley.
The Queen – a valued neighbour and friend in Scotland
The moderator of the Church of Scotland, the Rev Dr Ian Greenshields, gave a homily. He spoke of the Queen’s wisdom, duty, honour, commitment, and faith:
“Much has been said about the Queen’s contribution to the life of the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth which meant so much to her. But here in Scotland we acknowledge with gratitude her deep links with our land and its people. Her love of the Balmoral estate is well known and being there latterly brought her great comfort. There she was valued as a neighbour and a friend and there she drew strength and refreshment during the summer months…She was the Supreme Governor of the Church of England, but she worshipped in the Church of Scotland here north of the border, at Canongate Kirk and especially at Crathie Kirk where she took her pew each Sunday morning, prevented from doing so latterly only by infirmity. She perceived little difficulty in belonging to two Churches and appreciating the strength of each”.
This evening (Tuesday), Queen Elizabeth’s coffin will be taken back to Buckingham Palace in London, and later to Westminster Hall for a further period of lying in state.
Tour of the nations – the Union at the heart of King’s concerns
Meanwhile, the King and Queen Consort will visit Belfast later today to meet the Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris, party leaders and religious leaders. There will be a service of reflection at St Anne’s Cathedral in Belfast.
Then on Thursday they will visit Cardiff for a service of remembrance at Llandaff Cathedral, in the city.
The Prime Minister, Liz Truss, in her second week of office, is accompanying the King on his tour of the nations.
BBC correspondent Allan Little says that the decision to visit Edinburgh, Belfast and Cardiff is telling and suggests “that the future of the Union is at the heart of his concerns”.
Faith groups in Britain remember the Queen
Two days of prayers and a special ceremony to remember the Queen, were organised at Guru Teg Bahadur Gurdwara in Wolverhampton. 200 people gathered and the BBC reports that the Gurdwara said” it was reflecting on the Queen’s achievements, her role as head of the Church of England and her respect for other religions”. The BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Hindu temple in Coventry held a special ceremony, with a youth worker saying the Queen’s values and those of Hindus, were aligned and although the Queen was head of the Church of England, she had been in fact “Queen of the world”.
Bishops’ stories of the Queen bring laughter to the Lords
The Church Times has pulled together a collection of stories told by the bishops in the House of Lords as they remembered the Queen. The ones about the Archbishop of York blessing her car which wouldn’t start and then miraculously came to life; The Bishop of Gloucester unable to obey a royal command to kiss a Bible as she was wearing lipstick; The Archbishop of Canterbury remembering the fortitude required for barbecues in January and the Bishop of St Albans holding on for dear life as the Queen took the wheel.
Other news
The Pope visits Kazakhstan today for the VII Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions, saying religious leaders have the power to resolve the world’s conflicts. The congress was initiated by the country’s president 19 years ago and is held every three years. Its theme this time is “The Role of Leaders of World and Traditional Faiths in the Socio-Spiritual Development of Humanity after the Pandemic.”
British Muslims reduced to second class status due to new citizenship laws. Guardian story here >>
Kashif Shabir, chief executive of Muslim Aid, told a conference that charity leaders will find it difficult to survive in the sector if they do not devolve power, especially when operating overseas. Third Sector report here >>
A new mosque and Islamic community centre has been created in the village of Hethersett, Norfolk, to serve a growing community. Eastern Daily Press story here >>
A former office block in Swindon has been turned into a Hindu temple in a move which brings together two organisations following repeated break-ins and closure at a temple nearby. Swindon Advertiser story here >>
