United Service of Morning Prayer
Date/Time
Date(s) - 14/07/2024
10:30 am - 11:15 am
Location
St Philip and St James’ Church
Category(ies)
For the months of July and August, we reduce the number of Sunday Services in our group of parishes to two services each Sunday. Instead of a 9.30 service and an 11.00 service, we have a united service at 10.30, followed by tea/coffee/juice. On the first and third Sundays, it is a Holy Communion Service and on the second Sunday, it is Morning Prayer and on the fourth Sunday, it is a Service of the Word.
All are welcome at any of our services.
The 10.30 is live-streamed and the direct link for this service is https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uf6PSl4eJhs
The Order of Service is MP2 Ordinary 14.07.2024 Commemoration PDF
Today is the Seventh Sunday after Trinity and it is also the National Day of Commemoration – see explanatory note below – and we will remember all those from this island who died in past wars or United Nations peacekeeping missions.
The National Day of Commemoration
In Ireland, the National Day of Commemoration (Irish: Lá Cuimhneacháin Náisiúnta) commemorates all Irish people who died in past wars or United Nations peacekeeping missions. It occurs on the Sunday nearest 11 July, the anniversary of the date in 1921 that a truce was signed ending the Irish War of Independence. The principal ceremony is held at the Royal Hospital Kilmainham, Dublin, Ireland.
Background
The commemoration of Irish soldiers and wars has been fragmented within Ireland for historical and political reasons.
Ceremonies to honour Irish soldiers who fought in the First World War have been held in Ireland in November on Remembrance Sunday and Remembrance Day since the war’s end. These are mainly organised by the Royal British Legion and observed by Unionists and ex-servicemen and relatives. The focal points were St Patrick’s Cathedral and the Irish National War Memorial Gardens, both in Dublin. Though many Irish nationalists served in the British Army prior to independence, this was not generally held in high esteem by later generations. Independent Ireland remained neutral in World War II, and although thousands of its citizens served in the allied armies, the state did not at first mark this.
Commemoration of the Irish War of Independence was muted by the bitterness of the Irish Civil War that followed from it. The preceding 1916 Easter Rising against British rule in Ireland was the focus, with Easter Day considered the “National Day of Commemoration”. There was a major parade each Easter until 1971, when the Troubles in Northern Ireland made the commemoration of the earlier Irish Republican rebels more problematic in symbolism. Smaller official commemorations persisted at Arbour Hill Prison.
Inclusive
One of the main recommendations made by the All-Party Oireachtas Committee was that the National Day of Commemoration should be organised in a way which would reflect its national importance, which would encourage people of different traditions to participate and which would attract the interest and support of the public. The current service and ceremonies closely follow these recommendations.
The military and religious ceremonies are held in the presence of the President, the Taoiseach and other members of the Government of Ireland, members of the Oireachtas, the Council of State, the Diplomatic Corps, the Judiciary, relatives of 1916 leaders, next-of-kin of those who died on service with the UN, Northern Ireland representatives and a wide cross-section of the community, including ex-servicemen and ex-servicewomen, and in recent times, ex-servicemen and ex-servicewomen (including Chelsea pensioners) from the British Army.
Representatives of the three divisions of the Defence Forces parade and render military honours. Since its inception, music has been provided by the combined bands of the several Army Commands.
The ceremonies begin with an interfaith service, comprising prayers, hymns and readings by senior representatives of the main Christian denominations and of the Jewish and Islamic faiths.
The military ceremonies include an honour guard of the Cadet School, the laying of a wreath by the President on behalf of the people of Ireland, Reveille, the raising of the national flag and the playing of the National Anthem.
It is televised live on RTÉ 1.