Wales completes UK national services of remembrance
A service of remembrance for Queen Elizabeth II takes place at Llandaff cathedral today, making Wales the last of the nations within the United Kingdom to hold a national service in honour of the Queen. Formerly the Prince of Wales, now King Charles and the Queen Consort will attend; Wales’ First Minister, Mark Drakeford, will read a lesson, representatives of other churches and faith communities in Wales will read prayers and the choir will be accompanied by two harps. The Church in Wales is Anglican but was disestablished in 1920, meaning the sovereign is not the Supreme Governor. It remains in the Anglican communion as a separate province. Following the service, the King and Queen Consort will receive condolences from the Welsh Senedd before attending a reception in the Banqueting Hall hosted by the Welsh Government.
The silence enveloping the Queen’s Lying in State is like a pilgrimage
Catherine Pepinster, journalist and author, queued for five hours to see the Queen lying in state at Westminster Hall. She writes: We waited for hours for one fleeting moment – sharing in that very British pastime of queuing, to join in a collective tribute to Queen Elizabeth II as she lay in state at Westminster Hall. And what a mixed, multicultural, multifaith group of people the British are, going by the crowd I joined. There were old soldiers in their regimental berets, young men in their Jewish yamulkas, women in hajibs, people from Cambridge, others from the Midlands, and plenty who’d taken the first Tube trains of the day from the London suburbs. This morning they made the country seem a united kingdom… It was not the grandeur that was so startling. It was the full enveloping silence as people processed past the coffin. The fleeting moment seemed much more than a mere glance; this was a time of contemplation, rather like a pilgrimage. Read Catherine’s reflection here
Justin Welby: The queue is the most moving part of the week
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, interviewed on Channel 4 for his reaction to the sight of thousands of people queuing to see the Queen’s coffin at Westminster Hall:
“I think it’s one of the most moving parts of this week. (The people queuing) were saying this is someone we recognise as one who practices servant leadership in a way that we don’t always see round the world or with politicians sometimes; but I think it was also deep affection for the stability that she represented”.
Chaplains notice togetherness in the Westminster Hall queue
Justin Welby joined a group of chaplains who were on hand to help with the thousands of mourners lining the route to Westminster Hall. Rabbi Jonathan Wittenberg said: “Such a moving & humbling privilege to be part of the chaplaincy in the queues paying tribute to Queen Elizabeth. An atmosphere of deep appreciation, profound respect & huge admiration for her 70+ years of service, a feeling of friendship & togetherness across society”.
The profound humanity in the 5 mile queue
The Rev Ian Mobsby, of St Luke Camberwell in Peckham, was interviewed for the BBC news channel as people streamed past. He said for some people in the queue, the event had triggered experiences of grief, bringing back memories especially of those close to them who died from Covid. After the struggles of the pandemic and anxiety about the cost of living crisis, it felt like people were coming together. The Queen had been part of the lives of the people queuing and by paying their respects, they felt part of this national mourning process. “There is profound humanity here”, he said.
The inevitable tensions for a family in grief
Cardinal Vincent Nicholas, also interviewed by Channel 4, was asked to comment on the tensions that have emerged during this period of mourning: “When we grieve we’re raw and what’s important in grieving, every family knows this, is that we have time to talk together, to reminisce, to tell stories and to be patient with those members of the family who’ve been angry and distanced and difficult. And these moments are when we come together. And if there are little tensions around, that’s almost inevitable”.
The most significant religion related event in the UK for a century?
Dr Chris Cotter, of the Open University, offers an explanation of what we are witnessing: “I would say this event is probably going to be seen as being one of the most, if not the most, significant religion related events in the UK for a century. There are the obvious religion related elements connected with the Church of England and the Church of Scotland. And there are the more diffuse civil religion elements surrounding the monarchy in the UK such as national anthems, regalia, particular sites and processions. But what I think is the most interesting to comment on is the upheaval that this event has caused to the sense of stability and certainty amongst the British public, and people beyond. Regardless of feelings towards the monarchy and the Queen, there’s something about this individual, that for 70 years has rippled globally through the Empire and the Commonwealth. And this 70 year constant has been ripped away. Suddenly, something has changed. And I don’t think many could have quite predicted the emotional trauma of this stable presence being gone. Even republicans feel that change, uncertainty and loss of stability. I think that what’s happening here, I wouldn’t want to say that it’s a religious thing, this desire for certainty. It’s a human thing that is manifest through people’s religious quests, national mythologies, the powerful symbols connected with these, and more”.
Commemorative event in London mosque includes God Save the King
Muslim community leaders at Regent’s Park mosque in central London have sung the national anthem God Save the King, during a special event to honour the life of the Queen and mark the accession of King Charles III. Organisers said was a first in a UK mosque since the Queen’s death. The BBC quotes Ahmad Al-Dubayan, of the Islamic Cultural Centre, praising the Queen’s commitment to multiculturalism and her “commitment and devotion for the service of everybody that made the UK an oasis of freedom”.
Other news
The Roman Catholic Archbishop of Liverpool, Malcolm McMahon, spoke at the funeral of 9 year old Olivia Pratt-Korbel, who was shot dead when a man being chased by armed pursuers, barged into her home. The Archbishop urged people to have faith that Olivia’s untimely death would lead to a community in Liverpool without violence, “a place of peace and justice”.
Christian Concern is seeking a judicial review of a decision by Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge, to refuse a booking for their conference because of their views against same sex marriage. The case has been referred to the county court.
Enoch Burke, an evangelical school teacher from Ireland who refused on religious grounds to call a transgender pupil “they”, is remaining in jail after once more refusing to abide by a court order that he stays away from the school. He has already spent 11 days in prison and has become a global cause célèbre.
