An English oak tree was planted and congratulations recorded in a book to go to Buckingham Palace by the Longford Christ Church congregation, to mark the coronation of King Charles III and the crowning of Camilla, the Queen Consort, on May 6 at Westminster Abbey in London.
In a special service ahead of the coronation, Reverend Dub Gannon led prayers for King Charles, who, as Monarch and Supreme Governor of the Church of England, holds the title of Defender of theFaith.
“As a Church we pray for those who are our leaders, that God will grant them wisdom and they will serve the people that they lead,” Rev. Gannon said.
“King Jesus gave us the ultimate example of that by laying down his life for his subjects.”
The congregation sang “God Save the King” and the service was followed by the planting of the tree in the Church cemetery where one was planted upon the Queen’s death in 2022.
Commemorative tea towels and the book God Save the King, ordered in especially for the occasion, sold “like hotcakes”.
Glenys Joyes of Longford, a member of the congregation, had a special connection to the coronation,with her son Richard invited as a recipient of the Cross of Valour.
Richard Joyes was awarded the Cross of Valour for his efforts to rescue people during the 2002 Bali bombings and marched into the cathedral with the chivalry procession.
Speaking from London before heading back to his home in Canada, Mr Joyes said that attending the Coronation was an amazing experience and he was grateful to be part of history.
“The Procession of Chivalry is a long-standing tradition and so to walk into the Abbey among those honour-holders and in front of that audience was overwhelming,” he said.
“The weight of the occasion was not lost on me.”