Coronation Weekend Services at St Anne’s Cathedral
While only a few have been fortunate to receive invitations to the coronation in Westminster Abbey, from across Belfast, all are invited to attend a special service of Choral Evensong at St Anne's Cathedral, to be held at 5.30pm on Friday 5th May, 2023, the Eve of Coronation Day.
HM King Charles III has asked that prayers are said for him across the nation, on the eve of his coronation. Led by the Dean of Belfast, we shall do this within the context of the full cathedral Choral Evensong. This will be the first full choral evensong under the direction of the cathedral's new Master of Music, Mr Jack Wilson.
The service will be attended by members of the Cathedral Chapter of St Anne's and also by Mrs Jane Wells MBE Deputy Lieutenant for Belfast, representing the Lord Lieutenant for the city of Belfast, Dame Fionnuala Jay O’Boyle.
This will be the first full choral evensong under the direction of the cathedral's new Master of Music, Mr Jack Wilson.
The Responses are by William Byrd. Psalm 122 is set to a chant by Herbert Howells. The Canticles are set to "Collegium Regale", also by Herbert Howells. The Anthem is "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace" by Samuel Sebastian Wesley.
With memories of the King's visit to Belfast Cathedral on 13th September 2022 still fresh in our minds, we hope that people from right across the city of Belfast and beyond will attend this very special service to share in the nation's celebrations for the coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla the following day.
Then on Sunday 7th May, at the cathedral will be the venue for a Cathedral Coronation Choral Eucharist starting at 11.00am.
The choir will lead the congregation in giving thanks for the start of the new king's reign, with the Dean as preacher.
Choral Eucharist will then be followed by "Coronation Lunch in the Nave". The cathedral congregation will share in a "pot luck lunch", an indoor street party for the cathedral family held the nave of the cathedral. This is one of the events being held across the nation as part of the Coronation Big Lunch.
