The King and Queen receive Holy Communion
5/6/2023 2:42:39 PM
Holy Communion, or the taking of consecrated bread and wine, is an act of worship integral to Christianity — the “ultimate act of remembering Jesus,” as the Church of England says in its official liturgy.
The King acknowledges the gifts of bread and wine as they are taken to the High Altar before the Archbishop of Canterbury says two prayers – the Prayer Over the Gifts and the Eucharistic Prayer.
The first of these was used at Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation and found in the Liber Regalis (The King’s Book), one of the oldest and most important sources for the coronation service. The second draws from many different sources.
The beginning of the Eucharistic Prayer echoes words used at the Queen's 1953 coronation and adds words from the Bible. The prayer’s central section draws from Jesus’ words when he served bread and wine to his disciples at the Last Supper before he died, according to the liturgy.
Then, Sanctus is sung. The text dates from the fifth century and possibly earlier. It's set to music is a new commission for this service by the British composer Roxanna Panufnik.
The Eucharistic Prayer continues, followed by the Lord's Prayer. The King and Queen receive Holy Communion as the choir sings the Agnus Dei, another traditional text for the mass, set to new music by Tarik O'Regan.
The King acknowledges the gifts of bread and wine as they are taken to the High Altar before the Archbishop of Canterbury says two prayers – the Prayer Over the Gifts and the Eucharistic Prayer.
The first of these was used at Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation and found in the Liber Regalis (The King’s Book), one of the oldest and most important sources for the coronation service. The second draws from many different sources.
The beginning of the Eucharistic Prayer echoes words used at the Queen's 1953 coronation and adds words from the Bible. The prayer’s central section draws from Jesus’ words when he served bread and wine to his disciples at the Last Supper before he died, according to the liturgy.
Then, Sanctus is sung. The text dates from the fifth century and possibly earlier. It's set to music is a new commission for this service by the British composer Roxanna Panufnik.
The Eucharistic Prayer continues, followed by the Lord's Prayer. The King and Queen receive Holy Communion as the choir sings the Agnus Dei, another traditional text for the mass, set to new music by Tarik O'Regan.