King Charles III used a solemn, candle-lit Advent service at Westminster Abbey to draw global attention to the suffering of persecuted Christians, urging solidarity with those “for whom living out their faith is not easy.”
The service — rich in Orthodox influence and blended with Anglican and Catholic traditions — carried a strong message against religious discrimination. In his personal reflection, the King highlighted the season’s promise of “light, hope, and above all, peace.”
One of the evening’s high points for the King was the hymn O Come, O Come, Emmanuel, which he described in the Order of Service as “magnificent.”
Led by the Dean of Westminster, the Very Rev. Dr. David Hoyle, the gathering united leaders from across global Christianity, including the Most Rev. Hosam Naoum, Anglican Archbishop of Jerusalem and the Middle East. The abbey’s ancient walls resonated with a vibrant mix of languages, musical traditions, and colourful religious vestments — making the service both meditative and uniquely eclectic.
Cardinal Timothy Radcliffe delivered the sermon, condemning rising religious intolerance and the “massive persecution of Christians in so many places.” He recalled the 1996 martyrdom of Bishop Pierre Claverie of Algeria, murdered by Islamist extremists and mourned by both Christians and Muslims — a testimony, he said, to how “pointless violence had flowered into friendship.”
The congregation also heard from Ribqa Nevash, 25, originally from Faisalabad, Pakistan, who described the hardships faced by Christians there, from burned churches to daily discrimination. She expressed her relief at being able to celebrate Christmas openly in the UK.
The King’s well-known affinity for Orthodox Christianity was reflected in the setting of icons throughout the Abbey. The liturgy featured a hymn in the Coptic language sung by the Coptic Orthodox Diocesan Choir, a carol from the Syriac Orthodox Church, a 14th-century English carol, and Latin prayers rising through the medieval arches.
Quoting again from O Come, O Come, Emmanuel, the King emphasized its message of hope: “Dispel the long night’s lingering gloom, and pierce the shadows of the tomb.”
A strong advocate of interfaith harmony, King Charles welcomed representatives from Muslim, Jewish, Sikh, and Hindu communities. The service followed his historic October visit to the Vatican, where he participated in a joint religious ceremony with Pope Leo XIV inside the Sistine Chapel.
Credits: BBC
Comment here