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.
ORDER OF SERVICE
Hymn
Choir Only
1. Morning has broken
Like the first morning;
Blackbird has spoken
Like the first bird.
Praise for the singing,
Praise for the morning!
Praise for them, springing
Fresh form the Word!
Choir Only
2. Sweet the rain’s new fall
Sunlit from heaven,
Like the first dew-fall
On the first grass.
Praise for the sweetness
Of the wet garden,
Sprung in completeness
Where his feet pass.
All
3. Mine is the sunlight,
Mine is the morning
Born of the one light
Eden saw play.
Praise with elation,
Praise every morning,
God’s re-creation
Of the new day!
Eleanor Farjeon (1881–1965)
Traditional Scottish Melody
Arranged Mark Blatchly (b.1960)
The Gathering of God’s People
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
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; Christe eleison; Kyrie eleison.
(Lord, have mercy upon us; Christ, have mercy upon us; Lord, have mercy upon us.)
The Confession
A time of silence is kept for self examination
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 Celebrant prays the
COLLECT OF THE DAY
God of compassion, whose Son Jesus Christ the child of Mary, shared the life of a home in Nazareth, and on the cross drew the whole human family to himself; strengthen us in our daily living, that in joy and sorrow, we may know the power of your presence to bind together and to heal; through the same, your Son Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
PROCLAIMING AND RECEIVING THE WORD
Please be seated for the
2 Corinthians 1: 3–7
This is the Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
The Choir sings
The Lord is my shepherd: therefore can I lack nothing. He shall feed me in a green pasture: and lead me forth beside the waters of comfort. He shall convert my soul; and bring me forth in the paths of righteousness, for his Name’s sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff comfort me. Thou shalt prepare a table before me against them that trouble me: thou hast anointed my head with oil, and my cup shall be full. But thy loving-kindness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: And I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.
Psalm 23
John Rutter (b.1945)
Please stand for the
Gospel
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Hear the Gospel of our Saviour Christ according to…
Glory to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
Luke 2: 33–35
This is the Gospel of the Lord.
Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
Please be seated for the
Sermon
Preacher: The Revd P.R. Campion, B.A., B.Th., M.A., M.Phil., Precentor
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
The Leader says
Let us pray.
Please kneel or sit according to your custom
Each petition ends
Lord, in your mercy
hear our prayer.
The prayers may conclude
Merciful Father, accept these our prayers for the sake of your Son our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.
Please stand for
The Peace
The Celebrant introduces the Peace and says
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 for charity. If you would like to donate online, click here.
1. Sing we of the blessèd Mother
Who received the angel’s word,
And obedient to his summons
Bore in love the infant Lord;
Sing we of the joys of Mary
At whose breast that child was fed
Who is Son of God eternal
And the everlasting Bread.
2. Sing we too, of Mary’s sorrows,
Of the sword that pierced her through,
When beneath the cross of Jesus
She the weight of suffering knew,
Looked upon her Son and Saviour
Reigning high on Calvary’s tree,
Saw the price of man’s redemption
Paid to set the sinner free.
3. Sing again the joys of Mary
When she saw the risen Lord,
And in prayer with Christ’s apostles,
Waited on his promised word:
From on high the blazing glory
Of the Spirit’s presence came,
Heavenly breath of God’s own being,
Manifest through wind and flame.
4. Sing the chiefest joy of Mary
When on earth her work was done,
And the Lord of all creation
Brought her to his heavenly home:
Virgin Mother, Mary blessèd,
Raised on high and crowned with grace,
May your Son, the world’s redeemer,
Grant us all to see his face.
The Ven. George Timms (1910–97)
Cyril Vincent Taylor (1907–91)
CELEBRATING AT THE LORD’S TABLE
Please remain standing
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 prays 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 saying:
The Choir sings
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 the same 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:
The Choir sings
Blessing and honour and glory and power are yours for ever and ever. Amen.
The Celebrant invites the People to pray
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. Members of all Christian Church denominations are welcome to receive Holy Communion here.
Holy Communion will be distributed at the crossing and in the nave.
You will be directed to your appropriate location: please follow the stewards’ directions.
While the People receive Communion the Choir sings
AGNUS DEI
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.
Motet
Panis angelicus fit panis hominum; Dat panis caelicus figuris terminum: O res mirabilis! Manducat Dominum Pauper, servus, et humilis.
(Bread of Angels, made the bread of men; the bread of heaven puts an end to all symbols: A thing wonderful! The Lord becomes our food: poor, a servant, and humble.)
César Franck (1822–90)
GOING OUT AS GOD’S PEOPLE
When all have received Communion, the Celebrant says
Let us pray.
Please kneel
The seasonal POST-COMMUNION PRAYER is said, and this prayer
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
HYMN
1. For the beauty of the earth,
For the beauty of the skies,
For the love which from our birth
Over and around us lies:
Lord of all, to thee we raise
This our sacrifice of praise.
2. For the beauty of each hour
Of the day and of the night,
Hill and vale, and tree and flower,
Sun and moon and stars of light:
3. For the joy of human love,
Brother, sister, parent, child,
Friends on earth, and friends above,
For all gentle thoughts and mild:
4. For each perfect gift of thine,
To our race so freely given,
Graces human and divine,
Flowers of earth and buds of heaven:
5. For thy Church that evermore
Lifteth holy hands above,
Offering up on every shore
This pure sacrifice of love:
Folliott Pierpoint (1835–1917)
Conrad Kocher (1786-1872)
The Celebrant says the
BLESSING
After which, all say Amen.
The Deacon and Choir sing the
Dismissal
Go in peace to love and serve the Lord. In the name of Christ. Amen.