Friday, April 29, 2011

Well, I just watched "The Ceremony in Full" of the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton of England. Very beautiful. Those Anglicans know how to do liturgy. I did doze a trifle during the music that played while the couple were secluded in the chapel of the shrine of St. Edward the Confessor, signing the registers, but only because it was about 11:00 p.m. and I was sleepy.

I enjoyed when the congregation sang "Jerusalem." That is a poem I have taught when I was an English teacher. The poem is by William Blake and alludes to the myth that as a boy Jesus traveled to England in the company of Joseph of Arimathea:

And did those feet in ancient time
Walk upon England`s mountains green?
And was the holy Lamb of God
On England`s pleasant pastures seen?

And did the Countenance Divine
Shine forth upon our clouded hills?
And was Jerusalem builded here
Among these dark satanic mills?

Bring me my bow of burning gold!
Bring me my arrows of desire!
Bring me my spear! O clouds, unfold!
Bring me my chariot of fire!

I will not cease from mental fight,
Nor shall my sword sleep in my hand,
Till we have built Jerusalem
In England`s green and pleasant land.

It starts at about 47.15 of the video I linked to, above.

They also sang "God Save the Queen." I do not know all the words to that, so I googled it:

God save our gracious Queen.
Long live our noble Queen.
God save the Queen.
Send her victorious,
Happy and glorious,
Long to reign over us.
God save the Queen.

We Americans know the tune well because we have a patriotic song to the same tune:

My country, 'tis of thee,
Sweet land of liberty,
Of thee I sing:
Land where my fathers died,
Land of the Pilgrims' pride.
From every mountainside,
Let freedom ring.

Anyway, beautiful ceremony over there in Westminster Cathedral, London, England, and a beautiful young couple. God bless them.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the link to the ceremony. I hope to watch it soon.