Allen Shibu, Keighley
History will be made on Tuesday as a catholic service is being held for the first time since the 1550s, the era of the Tudors. The service is being held in the chapel royal in Hampton court palace. the sunset evening prayer service, in king henry VIII’s chapel, will be celebrated by Westminster’s Cardinal Vincent Nichols and will include a homily by Anglican Bishop Richard Chatres, the dean of her Majesty’s Chapels Royal. Celebrated mostly in Latin, another first in 450 years, vespers will be dedicated to St. john the Baptist as the chapel was built by Cardinal Wolsey on the site of a chapel of the knights of St. john hospitaller, dedicated to that saint. The service is being organised by the Genesis foundation and the choral foundation. The music has been chosen and will be performed by Harry Christopher’s and his ensembles, the Sixteen and Genesis Sixteen. Paying tribute to the rich and turbulent religious history of the chapel royal, the ensembles will sing Thomas Tallis’ Magnificat, William Cornysh’s Salve Regina and John Taverner’s ‘Leroy’ Kyrie..
Before vespers, the cardinal and the dean will be in conversation under the heading faith and the crown in the great hall. Their discussion will be wide-ranging and will address the relationship between the two churches and the monarchy. Taking the chapel royal as their starting point, the two will discuss its role in maintaining elements of catholic worship to the present day. The emphasis will be on exploring the bonds between the churches and the dialogue they have had over the centuries. Founder and chairman of the genesis foundation john studzinski said:” dialogue between faiths is much needed and welcomed in these turbulent times… it will be an unforgettable occasion and is genuinely one for the history books.”
