The Christian ceremony, which will take place next Saturday (5/5), will also have an active role for the first time in religious leaders of other religions.
The public attending the coronation of King Charles III next Saturday (5/5) will be invited to join a “chorus of millions” to swear allegiance to the king and his heirs, organizers say.
The public engagement is one of several significant changes to the ceremony spanning the centuries.
In a coronation that will introduce changes to the rites, the female clergy will have a leading role, and the king himself will pray aloud.
The ceremony, of a Christian nature, will see religious leaders of other faiths play an active role for the first time.
This coronation will also be the first to incorporate other languages spoken in the UK, with an anthem to be sung in Welsh, Scottish Gaelic and Irish Gaelic.
Despite changes designed to accommodate other religions, the three oaths that the king will take and which will form the centerpiece of the ceremony remain unchanged, including a pledge to uphold the “Protestant religion”.
Details of the Westminster Abbey ceremony were released by Lambeth Palace, the official residence of the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby.
The leader of the Anglican Church said he will “recognize and celebrate tradition” while also contemplating “new elements that reflect the diversity of our contemporary society”.
The public will be attending the ceremony for the first time, with people from all over the world invited to loudly swear their allegiance to the King.
This “tribute of the people” replaces the traditional “tribute of peers”, in which members of the royal family swear allegiance to the new monarch.
Instead, everyone in the abbey, as well as spectators, will be invited to what Lambeth Palace has described as a “choir of millions”.
The following passage will be read: “All who wish, in the abbey and elsewhere, say together: I swear that I will give true allegiance to Your Majesty and to your heirs and successors according to the law. Therefore, God help me “
A fanfare will follow.
The Archbishop of Canterbury will then proclaim “God save the King”, and all invited will reply: “God save King Charles. Long live King Charles. May the King live forever”.
A spokesman for the Anglican Church said: “The people’s tribute is particularly moving because it is such a novelty.”
“This is something we can share because of advances in technology. Not only will people in the abbey be participating, but also people who are online, on television, who are listening, and who are gathered in parks, on big screens and in churches.”
“Our hope is that in that moment, when the archbishop invites people to participate, that people, wherever they are, whether they are at home alone, watching television, say it out loud – that feeling of great clamor all around the country and throughout the world in support of the king.”
While the oaths – which have remained unchanged for centuries – remain true to the Protestant religion, Lambeth Palace has said the Archbishop of Canterbury will “contextualize”.
He will say ahead of time that the Church of England will seek to create an environment where “people of all faiths and beliefs can live freely”.
“The religious and cultural context of the 17th century was very different from contemporary, multi-religious Britain today,” the spokesman said. “So for the first time there will be a preface to the oath.”
BBC religious editor Aleem Maqbool said there had been much speculation over the years about a possible change to the king’s oaths to reflect the aspiration to protect the practice of all faiths and beliefs. But this may cause consternation among some Church of England traditionalists.
Maqbool added that it seemed like a good solution to leave the oaths unchanged and have the Archbishop of Canterbury express that forward-looking sentiment.
But progressives may wonder why protecting the practice of all beliefs can’t be part of the king’s oath to the nation.
multifaith
As part of the ceremony, Muslim, Hindu, Jewish and Sikh priests will present pieces of the coronation regalia, including bracelets, cloak, ring and glove, to the king.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, a practicing Hindu, will read from the Biblical book of Colossians.
The blessing will be shared for the first time with leaders of several Christian denominations, including Catholic Cardinal Vincent Nichols.
At the end of the religious ceremony, the king will be welcomed by Jewish, Hindu, Sikh, Muslim and Buddhist leaders.
The move reflects Charles’ idea of promoting unity between different religions by supporting inter-religious dialogue and celebrating the main faiths practiced in the UK.
A Lambeth Palace spokesman described the act as “an unprecedented gesture which will reflect the religious diversity of King Charles III’s reign”.
The greeting will not be audible to most observers from outside Westminster Abbey because the Chief Rabbi observes Jewish Shabbat on Saturday, which bans the use of electricity, including microphones.
The King will pray aloud using words inspired by the hymn I swear to you, my country and in the Galatians and Proverbs of the Bible.
Female clergy will attend the ceremony for the first time since the Church of England allowed women to become bishops in 2014.
The Bishop of Chelmsford, Guli Francis-Dehqani, and the Bishop of Dover, Rose Hudson-Wilkin, will give Communion together with the Archbishop.
Justin Welby said the coronation was “first and foremost an act of Christian worship”.
“It is in my prayers that all who participate in the ceremony, whether of faith or not, find the ancient wisdom and new hope for inspiration and joy,” she said.
Source: Terra
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