Welcome
God has been worshipped in this place through the prayers and praises of countless generations. Worship lies at the heart of our life as Christians and we express our theology and belief through our liturgy. It is through these liturgical patterns of words and actions that we are formed and transformed.
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You are invited to say the text in bold in English.
Please stand as the Minister, at the West End of the Cathedral, sings
Let us pray.
Please remain standing to sing the
Hymn
1. Now is eternal life,
If risen with Christ we stand,
In him to life reborn,
And holden in his hand;
No more we fear death’s ancient dread,
In Christ arisen from the dead.
2. For God, the living God,
Stooped down to man’s estate;
By death destroying death,
Christ opened wide life’s gate:
He lives, who died; he reigns on high;
Who lives in him shall never die.
3. Unfathomed love divine,
Reign thou within my heart;
From thee nor depth nor height,
Nor life nor death can part;
Our life is hid with God in thee,
Now and through all eternity.
G. W. Briggs (1875–1959)
Charles Steggall (1826–1905)
The Celebrant says the
Greeting
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Please remain standing for the
Collect for Purity
Almighty God to whom all hearts are open, all desires known, and from whom no secrets are hidden: Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love you, and worthily magnify your holy name: through Christ our Lord. Amen.
The Celebrant introduces the
Confession
Almighty God, our heavenly Father, we have sinned in thought and word and deed, and in what we have left undone. We are truly sorry and we humbly repent. For the sake of your Son, Jesus Christ, have mercy on us and forgive us, that we may walk in newness of life to the glory of your name. Amen.
The Celebrant pronounces the
Absolution
To which all reply
Amen.
Please remain standing whilst the Choir sing
Gloria in excelsis
Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace to those of good will. We praise you, we bless you, we worship you, we glorify you. We give thanks to you for your great glory. O Lord God, heavenly King, God the Father Almighty. O Lord the only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ. O Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father, you who take away the sins of the world have mercy on us. You who take away the sins of the world receive our prayer. You are seated at the Father’s right hand, have mercy on us. For you alone are holy, you alone are the Lord,
You alone are the Most High, Jesus Christ,
with the Holy Spirit, in the glory of God
Please remain standing whilst the Celebrant intones the
Collect of the Day
Let your merciful ears, O Lord, be open to the prayers of your humble servants; and that they may obtain their petitions make them to ask such things as shall please you; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Please be seated for the
Reading
Ephesians 4: 1–16
I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope of your calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all.
But each of us was given grace according to the measure of Christ’s gift. Therefore it is said,
‘When he ascended on high he made captivity itself a captive;
he gave gifts to his people.’
(When it says, ‘He ascended’, what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower parts of the earth? He who descended is the same one who ascended far above all the heavens, so that he might fill all things.) The gifts he gave were that some would be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until all of us come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to maturity, to the measure of the full stature of Christ. We must no longer be children, tossed to and fro and blown about by every wind of doctrine, by people’s trickery, by their craftiness in deceitful scheming. But speaking the truth in love, we must grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and knitted together by every ligament with which it is equipped, as each part is working properly, promotes the body’s growth in building itself up in love.
At the end of the Reading
This is the word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Please remain seated for the
Gradual
Please stand for the
Gospel
The Minister and Choir sing
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Hear the Gospel of our Saviour Christ according to Saint X, in the Y chapter, beginning at the Z verse.
Glory to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
Gospel Reading
John 6: 24–35
So when the crowd saw that neither Jesus nor his disciples were there, they themselves got into the boats and went to Capernaum looking for Jesus.
When they found him on the other side of the lake, they said to him, ‘Rabbi, when did you come here?’ Jesus answered them, ‘Very truly, I tell you, you are looking for me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For it is on him that God the Father has set his seal.’ Then they said to him, ‘What must we do to perform the works of God?’ Jesus answered them, ‘This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.’ So they said to him, ‘What sign are you going to give us then, so that we may see it and believe you? What work are you performing? Our ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, “He gave them bread from heaven to eat.” ’ Then Jesus said to them, ‘Very truly, I tell you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.’ They said to him, ‘Sir, give us this bread always.’
Jesus said to them, ‘I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.
At the end, the Minister and Choir sing
This is the Gospel of the Lord.
Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
Please remain standing whilst the Preacher moves to the Pulpit for the
Sermon
Preacher: The Venerable D. A. Pierpoint, M.A., Canon Treasurer
Please be seated for the Sermon. At the end, the Preacher will conclude with a prayer, during which the congregation will stand for the
Nicene Creed
We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen.
We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one Being with the Father. Through him all things were made. For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven, was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the Virgin Mary, and was made man. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered death and was buried. On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures; he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end.
We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son is worshipped and glorified, who has spoken through the prophets.
We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.
The Minister says
Let us pray.
Please kneel or be seated for the
Prayers
Each petition ends
Lord, in your mercy
hear our prayer.
At the end
Merciful Father,
accept these our prayers for the sake of your Son our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen
Please stand as the Celebrant introduces the
Peace
The peace of the Lord be always with you.
And also with you.
Please remain standing to sing the
Hymn
During the hymn, a collection of money is made. You can donate online by tapping the Support Us button in the bottom right.
1. Of the glorious body telling,
O my tongue, its mysteries sing,
And the blood, all price excelling,
Which the world’s eternal King,
In a spotless womb once dwelling,
Shed for this world’s ransoming.
2. Given for us, for us descending,
Of a virgin to proceed,
Man with man in converse blending,
Scattered he the gospel seed,
Till his sojourn drew to ending,
Which he closed in wondrous deed.
3. At the last great supper lying
Circled by his chosen band,
Duly with the law complying,
First he finished his command,
Then, immortal food supplying,
Gave himself by his own hand.
4. Word-made-flesh, by word he maketh
Bread his very flesh to be;
Man in wine Christ’s blood partaketh:
And if senses fail to see,
Faith alone the true heart waketh
To behold the mystery.
Thomas Aquinas (1227–74)
Paris, 1881
Please remain standing as the Celebrant and Choir sing
Sursum Corda
The Lord is here.
His Spirit is with us.
Lift up your hearts.
We lift them to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give our thanks and praise.
The Celebrant intones the Preface, concluding
Therefore with angels and archangels, and with all the company of heaven we proclaim your great and glorious name, for ever praising you and singing:
Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God of hosts.
Heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is he who comes
in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.
Sanctus Dominus, Deus Sabaoth,
Pleni sunt cœli et terra gloria tua.
Hosanna in excelsis.
Benedictus qui venit
in nomine Domine.
Hosanna in excelsis.
Please remain standing as the Eucharistic Prayer continues, concluding
…through Jesus Christ our Lord, with whom and in whom, by the power of the Holy Spirit, we worship you, Father almighty, in songs of never-ending praise:
Blessing and honour and glory and power are yours for ever and ever. Amen.
Please kneel or sit, according to your custom, to pray the
Lord’s Prayer
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.
The Celebrant breaks the bread, and says
The bread which we break is a sharing in the body of Christ.
We, being many, are one body, for we all share in the one bread.
The Celebrant invites the People to receive Communion.
Saint Patrick’s Cathedral is the National Cathedral of the Church of Ireland, a member Church of the Anglican (Episcopalian) Communion.
We welcome members of all Christian Church denominations to receive Holy Communion here. Please follow the stewards’ directions.
Whilst the people receive Communion, the Choir sing
Agnus Dei
Lamb of God who takes away
the sins of the world, have mercy on us.
Lamb of God who takes away
the sins of the world, give us peace.
Agnus Dei qui tollis
peccata mundi, miserere nobis.
Agnus Dei qui tollis
peccata mundi, dona nobis pacem.
Motet
O thou, the central orb of righteous love, pure beam of the Most High, eternal Light of this our wint’ry world. Thy radiance bright awakes new joy in faith, hope soars above. Come, quickly come, and let thy Glory shine, gilding our darksome heaven with rays Divine. Thy saints with holy lustre round thee move, as stars about thy throne, set in the height of God’s ordaining counsel, as thy sight gives measured grace to each, thy power to prove. Let thy bright beams disperse the gloom of sin, our nature all shall feel eternal day, in fellowship with thee transforming day to souls ere-while unclean, now pure within.
Charles Wood (1866–1926)
When all have received Communion, the Celebrant says
Let us pray.
A seasonal Post-Communion Prayer may be said, and then this prayer
Almighty God, we thank you for feeding us with the spiritual food of the body and blood of your Son Jesus Christ. Through him we offer you our souls and bodies to be a living sacrifice. Send us out in the power of your Spirit to live and work to your praise and glory. Amen.
Please stand to sing the
Hymn
1. Jesu, thou Joy of loving hearts;
Thou Fount of life, thou Light of men;
From the best bliss that earth imparts
We turn unfilled to thee again.
2. Thy truth unchanged hath ever stood;
Thou savest those that on thee call;
To them that seek thee, thou art good,
To them that find thee, all in all.
3. We taste thee, O thou living Bread,
And long to feast upon thee still;
We drink of thee, the Fountain-head,
And thirst our souls from thee to fill.
4. Our restless spirits yearn for thee,
Where’er our changeful lot is cast;
Glad when thy gracious smile we see,
Blest, when our faith can hold thee fast.
5. O Jesus, ever with us stay,
Make all our moments calm and bright,
Chase the dark night of sin away,
Shed o’er the world thy holy light.
Latin, 12th cent., tr. Ray Palmer (1808–87)
Henry Smith (1825–98)
The Celebrant says the
Blessing
After which, all say
Amen.
The Deacon and the Choir sing the
Dismissal
Go in peace to love and serve the Lord.
In the name of Christ. Amen.
Please remain standing as the Choir and Clergy depart.
Please remain at your seat for the duration of the
Organ Voluntary
Acknowledgements
Developed by the Saint Patrick’s Cathedral Education Department: Clark Brydon (Education & Safeguarding Officer).
Material in this service is reproduced from The Book of Common Prayer, © RCB 2004.
Translations are provided automatically by Google Translate. Saint Patrick’s Cathedral is not responsible for automatically generated content or for content on external websites.
To report a problem or to send feedback and suggestions, please email: education@stpatrickscathedral.ie
