Welcome
God has been worshipped in this place through the prayers and praises of countless generations. Worship lies at the heart of our life as Christians and we express our theology and belief through our liturgy. It is through these liturgical patterns of words and actions that we are formed and transformed.
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You are invited to say the text in bold in English.
Please stand as the Minister, at the West End of the Cathedral, sings
Let us pray.
Please remain standing whilst the Choir and Clergy enter the stalls
Please remain standing to sing the
Hymn
1. O for a thousand tongues to sing
My dear Redeemer’s praise,
The glories of my God and King,
The triumphs of his grace!
2. Jesus–the name that charms our fears,
That bids our sorrows cease;
’Tis music in the sinner’s ears,
’Tis life, and health, and peace!
3. He breaks the power of cancelled sin,
He sets the prisoner free;
His blood can make the foulest clean;
His blood availed for me.
4. He speaks; and, listening to his voice,
New life the dead receive;
The mournful broken hearts rejoice;
The humble poor believe.
5. Hear him ye deaf; his praise, ye dumb,
Your loosened tongues employ;
Ye blind, behold your Saviour come,
And leap, ye lame, for joy!
6. My gracious Master and my God,
Assist me to proclaim,
To spread through all the world abroad,
The honours of thy Name.
Charles Wesley (1707–88)
Thomas Haweis (1734–1820)
The Celebrant says
The Greeting
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Please remain standing for
The Collect for Purity
Almighty God to whom all hearts are open, all desires known, and from whom no secrets are hidden: Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love you, and worthily magnify your holy name: through Christ our Lord. Amen.
The Choir sings
Kyrie eleison
Kyrie eleison; Christe eleison; Kyrie eleison.
Lord, have mercy upon us; Christ, have mercy upon us; Lord, have mercy upon us.
The Celebrant introduces
The Confession
After a short pause for reflection, all say
Almighty God, our heavenly Father, we have sinned in thought and word and deed, and in what we have left undone. We are truly sorry and we humbly repent. For the sake of your Son, Jesus Christ, have mercy on us and forgive us, that we may walk in newness of life to the glory of your name. Amen.
The Celebrant pronounces
The Absolution
The Choir sings
Gloria in excelsis
Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace to those of good will. We praise you, we bless you, we worship you, we glorify you. We give thanks to you for your great glory. O Lord God, heavenly King, God the Father Almighty. O Lord the only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ. O Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father, you who take away the sins of the world have mercy on us. You who take away the sins of the world receive our prayer. You are seated at the Father’s right hand, have mercy on us. For you alone are holy, you alone are the Lord,
You alone are the Most High, Jesus Christ,
with the Holy Spirit, in the glory of God
Please remain standing whilst the Celebrant intones
The Collect of the Day
Almighty God, you have made us for yourself, and our hearts are restless until they find their rest in you: teach us to offer ourselves to your service, that here we may have your peace, and in the world to come may see you face to face; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Please sit for the
Reading
Philippians 2: 1–13
At the end of the reading
This is the word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Please sit whilst the Choir sings
The Gradual
Come, my Way, my Truth, my life: Such a way as gives us breath; Such a truth as ends all strife; Such a life as killeth death. Come, my Light, my Feast, my Strength: Such a light as shows a feast; Such a feast as mends in length; Such a strength as makes his guest. Come, my Joy, my Love, my Heart: Such a joy as none can move; Such a love as none can part; Such a heart as joys in love.
Noel Rawsthorne (1929–2019)
Please stand for the
The Minister and Choir sing
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Hear the Gospel of our Saviour Christ according to Saint Luke, in the twenty-fourth chapter, beginning at the forty-fourth verse.
Glory to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
This is the Gospel of the Lord.
Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
Gospel
Matthew 21: 23–32
Please sit to listen to
The Sermon
The Reverend B. M. McKay, O.Carm., B.A., B.D., M.Phil., D.D., Prebendary of Clondalkin
Please stand to say
The Nicene Creed
We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen.
We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one Being with the Father. Through him all things were made. For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven, was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the Virgin Mary, and was made man. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered death and was buried. On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures; he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end.
We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son is worshipped and glorified, who has spoken through the prophets.
We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.
The Prayers of the People
Let us pray.
Please kneel or sit, according to your custom
Each petition ends
Lord, in your mercy:
Hear our prayer.
At the end
Merciful Father, accept these our prayers for the sake of your Son our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.
Please stand for
The Peace
The peace of the Lord be always with you.
And also with you.
Please remain standing to sing
The Offertory Hymn
During this hymn, a collection of money is made. Should you wish to donate online, please tap the button below to give securely by card.
1. Most glorious Lord of life, that on this day
Didst make thy triumph over death and sin,
And having harrowed hell, didst bring away
Captivity thence captive, us to win.
2. This joyous day, dear Lord, with joy begin,
And grant that we for whom thou diddest die,
Being with thy dear blood clean washed from sin,
May live for ever in felicity.
3. And that thy love we weighing worthily,
May likewise love thee for the same again;
And for thy sake, that all like dear didst buy,
With love may one another entertain;
Lines 3 & 4
4. So let us love, dear Love, like as we ought;
Love is the lesson which the Lord us taught.
Edmund Spenser (1552–99) Henry Lawes (1596–1662)
Please remain standing as the Celebrant and Choir sing
Sursum Corda
The Lord is here.
His Spirit is with us.
Lift up your hearts.
We lift them to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give our thanks and praise.
The Celebrant intones the Preface, concluding
Therefore with angels and archangels, and with all the company of heaven we proclaim your great and glorious name, for ever praising you and singing:
Sanctus & Benedictus
Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of hosts,
Heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is he who comes
in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.
Sanctus Dominus, Deus Sabaoth,
Pleni sunt coeli et terra gloria tua.
Hosanna in excelsis.
Benedictus qui venit
in nomine Domine.
Hosanna in excelsis.
Please remain standing as the Eucharistic Prayer continues, concluding
. . . through Jesus Christ our Lord, with whom and in whom, by the power of the Holy Spirit, we worship you, Father almighty, in songs of never-ending praise:
Blessing and honour and glory and power are yours for ever and ever. Amen.
Please kneel or be seated for
The Lord’s Prayer
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.
The Celebrant breaks the bread and says
The bread which we break is a sharing in the body of Christ.
We, being many, are one body, for we all share in the one bread.
The Celebrant invites the people to receive communion.
Receiving Communion
Saint Patrick’s Cathedral is the National Cathedral of the Church of Ireland, a member Church of the Anglican (Episcopalian) Communion. We welcome members of all Christian Church denominations to receive Holy Communion here. Please follow the stewards’ directions.
Whilst the people receive communion, the Choir sings
Agnus Dei qui tollis peccata mundi, miserere nobis.
(Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.)
Agnus Dei qui tollis peccata mundi, dona nobis pacem.
(Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world, give us peace.)
The Motet
Ubi caritas et amor, Deus ibi est. Congregavit nos in unum Christi amor. Exultemus et in ipso iocundemur. Timeamus et amemus Deum vivum. Et ex corde diligamus nos sincero.
(Where charity and love are, there is God. The love of Christ has gathered us into one. Let us rejoice and be glad in him. Let us fear and love the living God, and let us love with a sincere heart.)
Maurice Duruflé (1902–86)
When all have received, the Celebrant says
Let us pray.
A seasonal post-communion prayer is said, followed by
Almighty God, we thank you for feeding us with the spiritual food of the body and blood of your Son Jesus Christ. Through him we offer you our souls and bodies to be a living sacrifice. Send us out in the power of your Spirit to live and work to your praise and glory. Amen.
Please stand to sing the
Hymn
1. At the Name of Jesus
Every knee shall bow,
Every tongue confess him
King of glory now;
’Tis the Father’s pleasure
We should call him Lord,
Who from the beginning
Was the mighty Word.
2. At his voice creation
Sprang at once to sight,
All the angel faces,
All the hosts of light,
Thrones and dominations,
Stars upon their way,
All the heavenly orders,
In their great array.
3. In your hearts enthrone him,
There let him subdue
All that is not holy,
All that is not true:
He is God the Saviour,
He is Christ the Lord,
Ever to be worshipped,
Trusted, and adored.
4. Brothers, this Lord Jesus
Shall return again,
With his Father’s glory,
With his angel train;
For all wreaths of empire
Meet upon his brow,
And our hearts confess him
King of glory now.
Caroline Noel (1817–77)
Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872–1958)
The Celebrant says
The Blessing
The Minister and People say
The Dismissal
Go in peace to love and serve the Lord.
In the name of Christ. Amen.
Please stand as the Choir and Clergy depart.
Please remain at your seat for the duration of the