Choral Evensong at Saint Patrick’s Cathedral is a tiny fragment of something else: it is part of the worship which is offered to God by people every hour of the day and night, in every corner of the world. When you come to Evensong here, it is as if you are dropping in on a conversation already in progress – a conversation between God and his people. So do not be surprised or concerned if there are some parts that you do not understand straight away.
Evensong is drawn almost entirely from the Bible. Much of the language spoken and sung in this service is that spoken by worshippers more than four hundred years ago. It may sound old-fashioned, but its meaning is not out of date. We invite you to allow the music and words to speak to you in the beauty and peace of this place.
You are invited to say the text in bold in English.
Order of Service
Please stand as the Minister sings
Let us pray.
INTROIT
Drop, drop, slow tears, and bathe those beauteous feet which brought from heaven the news and Prince of peace. Cease not, wet eyes, his mercies to entreat; to cry for vengeance sin doth never cease. In your deep floods drown all my faults and fears; nor let his eye see sin, but through my tears.
William Walton (1902–83)
Please remain standing whilst the Choir and Clergy enter the stalls
Please remain standing to sing the
Hymn
1. We love the place, O God,
Wherein thine honour dwells;
The joy of thine abode
All earthly joy excels.
2. We love the house of prayer,
Wherein thy servants meet;
And thou, O Lord, art there
Thy chosen flock to greet.
3. We love the sacred font;
For there the holy Dove
To pour is ever wont
His blessing from above.
4. We love thine altar, Lord;
O, what on earth so dear!
For there, in faith adored,
We find thy presence near.
5. We love the word of life,
The word that tells of peace,
Of comfort in the strife,
And joys that never cease.
6. We love to sing below
For mercies freely given;
But O, we long to know
The triumph-song of heaven!
7. Lord Jesus, give us grace
On earth to love thee more,
In heaven to see thy face,
And with thy saints adore.
Henry Baker (1821–77)
Henry Jenner (1820–98)
Please remain standing.
The Minister and Choir sing the
Preces and Responses
O Lord, open thou our lips.
And our mouth shall show forth thy praise.
O God, make speed to save us.
O Lord, make haste to help us.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
Praise ye the Lord.
The Lord’s Name be praised.
Philip Moore (b.1949)
Please sit as the Choir sings the
Psalm
PSALM 67
Deus misereatur.
God be merciful unto us, and bless us: and shew us the light of his countenance, and be merciful unto us: That thy way may be known upon earth: thy saving health among all nations. Let the peoples praise thee, O God: yea, let all the peoples praise thee. O let the nations rejoice and be glad: for thou shalt judge the folk righteously, and govern the nations upon earth. Let the peoples praise thee, O God: let all the peoples praise thee. Then shall the earth bring forth her increase: and God, even our own God, shall give us his blessing. God shall bless us: and all the ends of the world shall fear him.
Please stand for
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
Please sit for the
First Lesson
Joshua 1: 1–9
Please stand as the Choir sings
MAGNIFICAT
My soul doth magnify the Lord: and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour. For he hath regarded: the lowliness of his hand-maiden. For behold, from henceforth: all generations shall call me blessed. For he that is mighty hath magnified me: and holy is his name. And his mercy is on them that fear him: throughout all generations. He hath shewed strength with his arm: he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. He hath put down the mighty from their seat: and hath exalted the humble and meek. He hath filled the hungry with good things: and the rich he hath sent empty away. He remembering his mercy hath holpen his servant Israel: as he promised to our forefathers, Abraham and his seed, for ever.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
Magnificat anima mea Dominum; Et exultavit spiritus meus in Deo salutari meo, Quia respexit humilitatem ancillae suae; ecce enim ex hoc beatam me dicent omnes generationes. Quia fecit mihi magna qui potens est, et sanctum nomen ejus, Et misericordia ejus a progenie in progenies timentibus eum. Fecit potentiam in bracchio suo; Dispersit superbos mente cordis sui. Deposuit potentes de sede, et exaltavit humiles. Esurientes implevit bonis, et divites dimisit inanes. Suscepit Israel, puerum suum, recordatus misericordiae suae, Sicut locutus est ad patres nostros, Abraham et semini ejus in saecula.
Gloria Patri, et Filio, et Spiritui Sancto; sicut erat in principio, et nunc, et semper, et in sæcula sæculorum. Amen.
Michael Revell (1989)
Please sit for the
Second Lesson
John 2: 13–22
Please stand as the Choir sings
NUNC DIMITTIS
Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace: according to thy word. For mine eyes have seen: thy salvation, which thou hast prepared: before the face of all people; to be a light to lighten the Gentiles: and to be the glory of thy people Israel.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
Nunc dimittis servum tuum, Domine, secundum verbum tuum in pace: Quia viderunt oculi mei salutare tuum. Quod parasti ante faciem omnium populorum: Lumen ad revelationem gentium, et gloriam plebis tuae Israel.
Gloria Patri, et Filio, et Spiritui Sancto; sicut erat in principio, et nunc, et semper, et in sæcula sæculorum. Amen.
Michael Revell (1989)
Please remain standing to say the
APOSTLES’ CREED
I believe in God the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth: and in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord: who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary: suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried: He descended into hell; the third day he rose again from the dead: He ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty: from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead. I believe in the Holy Ghost: the holy catholic Church; the communion of saints: the forgiveness of sins: the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.
The Minister and Choir sing the
SUFFRAGES AND RESPONSES
The Lord be with you.
And with thy spirit.
Let us pray.
Please kneel or sit, according to your custom
Lord, have mercy upon us.
Christ, have mercy upon us.
Lord, have mercy upon us.
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. Amen.
O Lord, shew thy mercy upon us.
And grant us thy salvation.
O Lord, guide and defend our rulers.
And mercifully hear us when we call upon thee.
Endue thy Ministers with righteousness.
And make thy chosen people joyful.
O Lord, save thy people.
And bless thine inheritance.
Give peace in our time, O Lord.
Because there is none other that fighteth for us, but only thou, O God.
O God, make clean our hearts within us.
And take not thy Holy Spirit from us.
The Minister intones the
Collect of the Day
We beseech thee, Almighty God, mercifully to look upon thy people; that by thy great goodness they may be governed and preserved evermore, both in body and soul; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
Collect for Peace
O God, from whom all holy desires, all good counsels, and all just works do proceed; give unto thy servants that peace which the world cannot give; that both our hearts may be set to obey thy commandments, and also that by thee we being defended from the fear of our enemies may pass our time in rest and quietness; through the merits of Jesus Christ our Saviour.
Amen.
Collect for Aid Against All Perils
Lighten our darkness, we beseech thee, O Lord; and by thy great mercy defend us from all perils and dangers of this night; for the love of thy only Son, our Saviour, Jesus Christ.
Amen.
Philip Moore (b.1949)
Please sit as the Choir sings the
THE SERMON IN MUSIC
Introduced by the Dean
Now the first day of the feast of the unleavened bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying unto him, ‘Where wilt thou that we prepare for thee to eat the Passover?’ And he said, ‘Go ye into the city and there shall meet you a man bearing a pitcher of water: follow him. And he will show you a large upper room furnished and prepared: there make ready for us.’ And his disciples went forth, and came into the city, and found as he had said unto them: and they made ready the Passover. And in the evening he cometh with the twelve. And as they did eat, Jesus was troubled in spirit, and testified and said, ‘Verily I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me’. ‘Lord, is it I?’ Jesus answered, ‘He it is to whom I shall give a sop, when I have dipped.’ And as they did eat, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to them, saying, ‘Take, eat, for this is my body which is given for you: do this in remembrance of me.’ Likewise he took the cup; and, when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, ‘Drink ye all, of this; for this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many: drink this in remembrance of me.’ And when they had sung a hymn, they went out into the mount of Olives.
Grayston Ives (b.1948)
The Minister says
Let us pray.
Please kneel or remain seated for the
PRAYERS
At the end, all say
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with us all, evermore. Amen.
Please stand to sing
Hymn
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1. Dear Lord and Father of mankind,
Forgive our foolish ways!
Re-clothe us in our rightful mind,
In purer lives thy service find,
In deeper reverence praise.
2. In simple trust like theirs who heard,
Beside the Syrian sea,
The gracious calling of the Lord,
Let us, like them, without a word
Rise up and follow thee.
3. O Sabbath rest by Galilee!
O calm of hills above,
Where Jesus knelt to share with thee
The silence of eternity,
Interpreted by love!
4. Drop thy still dews of quietness,
Till all our strivings cease:
Take from our souls the strain and stress,
And let our ordered lives confess
The beauty of thy peace.
5. Breathe through the heats of our desire
Thy coolness and thy balm;
Let sense be dumb, let flesh retire;
Speak through the earthquake, wind and fire,
O still small voice of calm.
John Whittier (1807–92)
Charles Hubert Hastings Parry (1848–1918)
Please remain standing for
The Blessing
Please stand as the Choir and Clergy depart.
Please remain at your seat for the duration of the