Categories
Eucharist

Sunday 24th December 2023 – 11:15

Donate

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.

Should you wish to translate this order of service into another language, please choose your language in the bottom right. There is a guest wireless network available within the Cathedral for those without a mobile data connection.

Please note that this service may be live streamed for our online congregation. By participating in this service, you acknowledge that you may be visible or audible. If you are uncomfortable about this possibility, please speak to a steward or verger, who will be able to advise further.

The ministry of Saint Patrick’s Cathedral is made possible entirely through the support of individuals like you. The donations which we receive from people all over the world support our worship and music tradition, education programmes, and community outreach work, as well as contributing towards the vast cost of maintaining this historic building. Should you wish to donate online, please tap the donate button. 

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. Long ago, prophets knew
Christ would come, born a Jew,
Come to make all things new,
Bear his People’s burden,
Freely love and pardon.

Ring, bells, ring, ring, ring!
Sing, choirs, sing, sing, sing!
When he comes,
When he comes,
Who will make him welcome?

2. God in time, God in man,
This is God’s timeless plan:
He will come, as man,
Born himself of woman,
God divinely human: 

3. Mary hail! Though afraid,
She believed, she obeyed.
In her womb God is laid,
Till the time expected,
Nurtured and protected:

4. Journey ends! Where afar
Bethlem shines, like a star,
Stable door stands ajar.
Unborn Son of Mary,
Saviour, do not tarry!

Ring, bells, ring, ring, ring!
Sing, choirs, sing, sing, sing!
Jesus comes!
Jesus comes!
We will make him welcome!

 

Frederick Green (1903–2000)

Piae Cantiones (1582)

The Celebrant says

The Greeting

The Lord be with you.

And also with you.

Please remain standing for the lighting of 

The Advent Candle

Almighty God, the angel Gabriel brought the news that Mary was to be mother of your Son: help us to share like her in your great work of bringing to our world your light and your love.

Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!

Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!

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

Please remain standing whilst the Celebrant intones

The Collect of the Day

God our redeemer, who prepared the blessed Virgin Mary to be the mother of your Son; grant that, as she looked for his coming as our Saviour, so we may be ready to greet him when he comes again as our judge; who is alive and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.  Amen.

Please sit for the

2 Samuel 7: 1–11, 16

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

Psalm 89 vv 1–4, 19–26

My song shall be alway of the loving-kindness of the Lord: with my mouth will I ever be shewing thy truth from one generation to another.  For I have said, Mercy shall be set up for ever: thy truth shalt thou stablish in the heavens.  I have made a covenant with my chosen: I have sworn unto David my servant;  Thy seed will I stablish for ever: and set up thy throne from one generation to another. Thou spakest sometime in visions unto thy saints, and saidst: I have laid help upon one that is mighty; I have exalted one chosen out of the people.  I have found David my servant: with my holy oil have I anointed him.  My hand shall hold him fast: and my arm shall strengthen him.  The enemy shall not be able to do him violence: the son of wickedness shall not hurt him.  I will smite down his foes before his face: and plague them that hate him.  My truth also and my mercy shall be with him: and in my Name shall his horn be exalted.  I will set his dominion also in the sea: and his right hand in the floods.  He shall call me, Thou art my Father: my God, and my strong salvation.  And I will make him my first-born: higher than the kings of the earth.

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.

Luke 1: 26–38

Please sit to listen to

The Sermon

The Reverend C. W. L. McCauley, B.A., B.Th., M.A., Prebendary of Tipperkevin

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.

Donate

1. O heavenly Word of God on high,
Whose love has brought salvation nigh,
And from the Father’s heart didst come
To save a race by sin undone.

2. Our minds enlighten from above,
And kindle with the fire of love,
That as we hear the gospel read,
All sinful thoughts may flee in dread.

3. So, when thou comest at the last,
And earth’s long history is past,
May we be set at thy right hand,
And with thine own in glory stand.

4. Grant thou thy gifts of grace below,
In heaven an endless joy bestow,
Who art our sole and sovereign Lord,
The saving judge, and saints’ reward.

5. All praise, eternal Son, to thee
Whose advent sets thy people free,
Whom with the Father we adore,
And Spirit blest, for evermore. Amen.

Latin, 10th century

Percy Buck (1871–1947)

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

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.

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

Canite tuba in Sion, qui a prope est dies Domini. Ecce venit ad salvandum nos. Erunt prava in directa et aspera in vias planas: Veni Domine et noli tardare. Alleluia!

(Sound the trumpet in Sion, for the day of the Lord is near. Look! he is coming to save us. Winding paths will be made straight and rough places smooth. Come, O Lord, and do not delay. Alleluia!)

Jacob Händl, called Gallus (1550–91)

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. O come, O come, Emmanuel!
Redeem thy captive Israel,
That into exile drear is gone
Far from the face of God’s dear Son.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.

2. O come, thou Wisdom from on high!
Who madest all in earth and sky,
Creating man from dust and clay:
To us reveal salvation’s way.

3. O come, thou Root of Jesse! Draw
The quarry from the lion’s claw;
From those dread caverns of the grave,
From nether hell thy people save.

4. O come, thou Lord of David’s Key!
The royal door fling wide and free;
Safeguard for us the heavenward road,
And bar the way to death’s abode..

5. O come, Desire of nations! show
Thy kingly reign on earth below;
Thou Corner-stone, uniting all,
Restore the ruin of our fall.


Latin Antiphons, tr. T.A. Lacey (1853–1931)

Plainsong, arr. Thomas Helmore (1811–90)

The Celebrant says

The Blessing

The Minister and Choir sing

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

Organ Voluntary

Donate