DCMS 315/99
Service of celebration brings people together from all walks of life
The Christian significance of the year 2000 in England was marked today at an ecumenical Millennium Service in St Paul''s Cathedral, London. The service was attended by Her Majesty The Queen and His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh. The Prime Minister and the Lord Mayor of London were also in attendance, together with members of Christian congregations of all denominations and local communities from all over England.
The Service combined traditional prayer and worship with song and music in the first major church event of the Millennium. It drew on 1200 years of English Christianity and was developed by St Paul''s Cathedral in conjunction with the Churches Together in England.
The sermon, focusing on the theme of the ''Pilgrim Nation'' was given by Dr George Carey, Archbishop of Canterbury. The ecumenical nature of the service was marked through the participation of, amongst others, The Revd Anthony Burnham, Joint President of Churches Together in England, The Revd Pauline Huggan of the International Ministerial Council of Great Britain and The Most Revd Michael Bowen, President of the Catholic Bishops'' Conference of England and Wales.
Dr Carey said: "At the heart of the Millennium is our celebration of the coming of Jesus Christ 2000 years ago. It is therefore of great importance that we mark the first Sunday of this new Millennium with special Christian services. Today has been a truly ecumenical celebration and I am delighted to have been part of this special event."
Major elements of the service included readings by Dr Daleep Mukarji, Director of Christian Aid, actors Patricia Hodge and Richard Griffiths, pupils from Wakefield Cathedral School and Ben Okri from his own work.
Music was a centrepiece of the Service including a South African hymn, performed by a Children''s Choir drawn from schools across London and the South East, as well as the premiere of the St Paul''s Cathedral Millennium Hymn. Two new pieces: Fanfare Sonance 2000, composed by Sir Harrison Birtwistle, and a new setting of the Jubilate Deo by Sir Peter Maxwell Davies, were specially commissioned by St Paul''s for the Service.
The Dean of St Paul''s, the Very Revd Dr John Moses, spoke of the significance of St Paul''s: "St Paul''s Cathedral has a special place in the national identity of England. I think it fitting therefore that England''s Millennium Service should be held here. We have come together as a congregation of more than two thousand people, drawn from communities and churches throughout England, to celebrate together."
Notes to editors
1. The Service was one of four that were held concurrently throughout the United Kingdom. Other services were held at St Giles'' in Edinburgh, the Baptist Tabernacl in Cardiff and the new Waterfront Hall in Belfast.
2. The Churches in the four countries were invited by the Government to organise these services in order to reflect the Christian significance of the year 2000. They were fully ecumenical and celebrated the multicultural nature of Christian belief in the United Kingdom.
3. The other three services were also attended by members of the Royal family and Government.
Department for Culture, Media and Sport 2-4 Cockspur Street London SW1Y 5DH Internet : http://www.culture.gov.uk
