The coronation of King Charles III will take place on May 6. The ceremony will include a Christian liturgy officiated by the Archbishop of Canterbury featuring five sacred songs. The Church of England has released information regarding the coronation ceremony which will incorporate several long-standing traditions. As the English monarch is also the leader of the Church of England, Christian-oriented Scripture readings and musical pieces will be included in the coronation event. The five songs that will be part of the ceremony are: ‘Prevent Us, O Lord,’ ‘Kyrie, eleison,’ ‘Christ is Made the Sure Foundation,’ ‘Alleluia’ and ‘Zadok the Priest.’
The Christian Post reports:
King Charles III will be coronated on Saturday, with a ceremony that will feature music and a Christian liturgy approved by the Archbishop of Canterbury. Charles assumed the throne following the death of his mother, long-serving Queen Elizabeth II, in September.
The details of the coronation were released by The Church of England in advance of the royal ceremony, which will include aspects that are steeped in centuries of tradition.
As the monarch of England also serves as the head of the established Church of England, there will also be Scripture readings and musical selections of a Christian nature.
Here are five songs that will be part of the coronation ceremony for King Charles III of England. They include both older hymns and recently created pieces.
‘Prevent Us, O Lord’
The choral piece “Prevent Us, O Lord,” which was composed by prolific Elizabethan era songwriter William Byrd, is scheduled to be sung shortly after King Charles III takes his official oath.
Byrd, a Catholic who lived between 1543 and 1623, became a favorite composer for Protestant Queen Elizabeth I and wrote music for both religious and secular occasions, as well as lyrics in both English and Latin.
‘Kyrie, eleison’
The acclamation “Kyrie, eleison,” which is Latin for the phrase “Lord, have mercy,” has a long history of being used in both liturgy and sacred music, having been used for centuries.
For the coronation of King Charles III, a new choral version by modern composer Paul Mealor will be used, which will also reportedly be the first Welsh language performance at an English coronation.
The song will be performed after the Archbishop of Canterbury kicks off the ceremony with a greeting and introduction.
Read the full article here.
Photo by Dan Marsh
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