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 whilst the Choir and Clergy enter the stalls
Please remain standing to sing the
Hymn
1. On Jordan’s bank the Baptist’s cry
Announces that the Lord is nigh;
Awake and hearken, for he brings
Glad tidings of the King of kings.
2. Then cleansed be every breast from sin;
Make straight the way for God within;
Prepare we in our hearts a home,
Where such a mighty guest may come.
3. For thou art our salvation, Lord,
Our refuge and our great reward;
Without thy grace we waste away,
Like flowers that wither and decay.
4. To heal the sick stretch forth thine hand,
And bid the fallen sinner stand;
Shine forth, and let thy light restore
Earth’s own true loveliness once more.
5. All praise, eternal Son, to thee,
Whose advent doth thy people free;
Whom with the Father we adore,
And Holy Ghost for evermore.
Charles Coffin (1676–1749)
William Havergal (1793–1870)
The Celebrant says
The Greeting
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Please remain standing for the lighting of
The Advent Candle
Almighty God, you sent your servant John the Baptist to bear witness to the truth as a shining light: may we your servants rejoice in his light and so be led to witness to him who is the true Light.
Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!
Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!
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 Choir sings
Kyrie eleison
Kyrie eleison; Christe eleison; Kyrie eleison.
Lord, have mercy upon us; Christ, have mercy upon us; Lord, have mercy upon us.
The Celebrant introduces
The Confession
After a short pause for reflection, all say
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
Please remain standing whilst the Celebrant intones
The Collect of the Day
O Lord Jesus Christ, who at your first coming sent your messenger to prepare your way before you: Grant that the ministers and stewards of your mysteries may likewise so prepare and make ready your way by turning the hearts of the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, that at your second coming to judge the world we may be found an acceptable people in your sight; for you are alive and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, world without end. Amen.
Please sit for the
Reading
At the end of the reading
This is the word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Please sit whilst the Choir sings
The Gradual
Psalm 126
When the Lord turned again the captivity of Sion: then were we like unto them that dream. Then was our mouth filled with laughter: and our tongue with joy. Then said they among the heathen: The Lord hath done great things for them. Yea, the Lord hath done great things for us already: whereof we rejoice. Turn our captivity, O Lord: as the rivers in the south. They that sow in tears: shall reap in joy. He that now goeth on his way weeping, and beareth forth good seed: shall doubtless come again with joy, and bring his sheaves with him.
Please stand for the
The Minister and Choir sing
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Hear the Gospel of our Saviour Christ according to Saint Luke, in the twenty-fourth chapter, beginning at the forty-fourth verse.
Glory to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
This is the Gospel of the Lord.
Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
Gospel
Please sit to listen to
The Sermon
The Reverend J. M. Godfrey, B.A., M.A., M.Th., Prebendary of Kilmactalway
Please stand to say
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 Prayers of the People
Let us pray.
Please kneel or sit, according to your custom
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 for
The Peace
The peace of the Lord be always with you.
And also with you.
Please remain standing to sing
The Offertory Hymn
During this hymn, a collection of money is made. Should you wish to donate online, please tap the button below to give securely by card.
1. Ye servants of the Lord,
Each for your Master wait,
Observant of his heavenly word,
And watchful at his gate.
2. Let all your lamps be bright,
And trim the golden flame;
Gird up your loins as in his sight,
For aweful is his name.
3. Watch! ’tis your Lord’s command,
And while we speak, he’s near;
Mark the first signal of his hand,
And ready all appear.
4. O happy servant he,
In such a posture found!
He shall his Lord with rapture see,
And be with honour crowned.
5. Christ shall the banquet spread
With his own royal hand,
And raise that faithful servant’s head
Amidst the angelic band.
Philip Doddridge (1702–51)
William Havergal (1793–1870)
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:
Sanctus & Benedictus
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 coeli 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 be seated for
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.
Receiving 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 sings
Agnus Dei qui tollis peccata mundi, miserere nobis.
(Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.)
Agnus Dei qui tollis peccata mundi, dona nobis pacem.
(Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world, give us peace.)
The Motet
Audivi vocem de cælo venientem: venite omnes virgines sapientissime; oleum recondite in vasis vestris dum sponsus advenerit. Media nocte clamor factus est: ecce sponsus venit.
(I heard a voice coming from heaven: come all wisest virgins; fill your vessels with oil, for the bridegroom is coming. In the middle of the night there was a cry: behold the bridegroom comes.)
Thomas Tallis (d.1585)
When all have received, the Celebrant says
Let us pray.
A seasonal post-communion prayer is said, followed by
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. Lo! he comes; with clouds descending,
Once for favoured sinners slain;
Thousand thousand saints attending
Swell the triumph of his train;
Alleluia!
God appears, on earth to reign.
2. Every eye shall now behold him
Robed in dreadful majesty;
Those who set at nought and sold him,
Pierced, and nailed him to the tree,
Deeply wailing
Shall the true Messiah see.
3. Those dear tokens of his passion
Still his dazzling body bears,
Cause of endless exultation
To his ransomed worshippers:
With what rapture
Gaze we on those glorious scars!
4. Yea, Amen! let all adore thee,
High on thine eternal throne:
Saviour, take the power and glory;
Claim the kingdom for thine own,
Alleluia!
Alleluia! Come, Lord, come!
John Cennick (1718–55)
Thomas Olivers (1725–99)
The Celebrant says
The Blessing
The Minister and Choir sing
The Dismissal
Go in peace to love and serve the Lord.
In the name of Christ. Amen.
Please stand as the Choir and Clergy depart.
Please remain at your seat for the duration of the