On the evening of February 9, 2016, Archbishop of Westminster Cardinal Nichols will celebrate Vespers and the Bishop of London, Dean of the Chapel Royal, will preach in Henry VIII’s chapel—the first Catholic service held in the Chapel Royal at Hampton Court Palace since the 1550s.
The Catholic service will include a sermon from The Rt. Rev. and Rt. Hon. Dr Richard Chartres, KCVO, Bishop of London and Dean of Her Majesty’s Chapels Royal—an unprecedented coming together of the Catholic and Anglican churches on this historically significant site where kings and queens have worshipped for centuries.
Celebrated mostly in Latin—another first in nearly 500 years—Vespers will be dedicated to
St John the Baptist, in remembrance of the origins of the chapel as built by Cardinal Wolsey on the site of a former chapel of the Knights of St John Hospitaller and dedicated to that Saint.
The musical element of the service has been chosen and will be performed by Harry
Christophers and his ensembles The Sixteen and Genesis Sixteen. Paying tribute to the
rich and turbulent religious history of the Chapel Royal, the ensembles will sing Thomas
Tallis’ Magnificat, William Cornysh’s Salve Regina and John Taverner’s ‘Leroy’ Kyrie.
Before Vespers is celebrated, the Cardinal and Dean will be in conversation under the
heading Faith and the Crown in the Great Hall. Their discussion will be wide-ranging and will address the relationship between the two churches and the monarchy. Taking the
Chapel Royal as their starting point, the two men will discuss its role in maintaining
elements of Catholic worship to the present day. The emphasis will be very much on
exploring the bonds between their churches and the dialogue they have had over the
centuries, many of which are exemplified by the Chapel Royal during its often turbulent
history.
The historic event was brought about through the coordinated efforts of the Genesis Foundation and the Choral Foundation.
“Dialogue between faiths is much needed and welcomed in these turbulent times,” says John Studzinski, founder and chairman of the Genesis Foundation. “We need to recognize that we have more in common than not. I’m therefore delighted that the Genesis Foundation is enabling the Catholic and Anglican churches to engage in dialogue on this site that is so rich in history, both theological and musical. It will be an unforgettable occasion and is genuinely one for the history books.”
Michele Price, Director of Development, The Choral Foundation concurred, adding: “The Chapel Royal at Hampton Court played centre stage to the religious changes in the 16th Century. Its musicians and composers met the challenge of serving the spiritual needs of Henry VIII, Edward VI, Mary I and Elizabeth I, by producing new and beautiful music and in so doing became ‘the cradle of English church music.’ This historic occasion enables us to explore our rich heritage and bring together Christian traditions as we celebrate 500 years of Hampton Court Palace.”