A Cathedral service was held at the historic St Mary de Castro Church led by the Dean and Bishops, and attended by civic dignitaries and members of the public to take time to pray and refelect as they remembered Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.
The evening service on 10 September included beautiful choral music from the Cathedral's Senior Girls and Songmen with Members of the Leicester Cathedral Chamber Choir and Leicester Chorale, directed by Dr Christopher Ouvry-Johns, Director of Music for the Cathedral. The oragn was played by Cathedral organist David Cowen.
You can see the full Order of Service and music by clicking here.
The Dean of Leicester, the Very Revd David Monteith, began the service by saying that ancient St Mary de Castro building they were in had seen monarchs come and go and that they met there in the love of God who is the same yesterday, today and forever. He added that on that day, the new monarch King Charles III had been proclaimed at St James' Palace, we look to the future in faith and hope.
The Bishop of Loughborough, the Rt Revd Saju Muthalaly, read the Bible passage (John 14 v1-6, 27) and the Dean then led a Prayer of Commendation, entrusting God's servant Elizabeth into His keeping inthe name of Jesus our Lord.
Cathedral Sub-Dean and Canon Misionaer, Revd Karen Rooms, read an adapted version of WH Auden's Stop All The Clocks poem in which the 'he' was changed to 'she' so that it applied it to our Her Majesty The Queen.
Bishop of Leicester, the Rt Revd Martyn Snow then led a time of reflection and prayer encouraging the congregation to light a candle but not to hurry; to take time to reflect on Her Majesty The Queen. He prompted the congregation to give thanks for the sacrficies she made to fulfil her calling from God, for her life of faith which sustained her through times of trouble and pain, and that she now goes to a place where 'flights of angels sing thee to thy rest' (quoting Shakespeare's Hamlet just as King Charles III had done when he spoke of his late mother in his first TV address after his mother's death.
Our main Service of Remembrance for Her Late Majesty will be held at 5.30pm on Sunday 18 September at St James the Greater Church, Leicester. Further details here.