5th June Belfast Lieutenancy Platinum Jubilee Service
On Sunday 5th June, 2022, Belfast Cathedral was filled with those who had gathered at the invitation of Dame Fionnuala Jay O'Boyle to celebrate the Platinum Jubilee of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.
From the celebratory music drawn from the four nations of the United Kingdom and sung by the Cathedral Choir, to the thoughtful address given by the Moderator of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland, Dr David Bruce, and from the participation in readings and prayers from those who had traveled from both North and South, to those attending from every walk of life, the service gave thanks for the 70 years of service from a monarch who has placed reconciliation at the heart of her reign.
In his welcoming introduction, the Dean of Belfast said:
"To celebrate our monarch’s 70 year reign is a unique event which will never be repeated within the lifetime of any of us present.
Today, we gather from across this province, from every community and from across
these islands, not simply to mark the length of a remarkable reign, but here, in St Anne’s Cathedral Belfast, to give special thanks for that defining golden thread which has been woven into the tapestry of her majesty’s reign, her commitment to reconcile. Over these seven decades the Queen has dedicated herself to the reconciling of peoples within the Commonwealth, and across the globe, but most particularly she has sought the reconciling of peoples and histories across these islands and within this nation.
That commitment to reconciliation is drawn from the Queen’s deep personal faith and from her sense of sacred calling as monarch.
Today let us give thanks to God for the Queen’s lifelong service and unwavering commitment to duty, but also for her humanity and the gift of her life given across generations.
Let us then pray:
Gracious God, we give you thanks for the reign of your servant Queen Elizabeth, and for the example of loving and faithful service which she has shown among us. Help us to follow her example of dedication, and to commit our lives to you and to one another, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen."
A full account of the service by the Connor Diocesan Press Officer, Karen Bushby is found at
