Details of King Charles’ Coronation Service at Westminster Abbey on May 6 have officially been published and provide the context in which Cappella Romana music director Alexander Lingas will lead the Byzantine Chant Ensemble in performance during the ceremony:
The Presentation of Regalia
Peers from non-Christian faiths and senior Anglican bishops present the regalia. During the exchange of swords, Psalm 71 is sung by the Greek Choir.
The official program notes:
This moment has been specially commissioned to reflect His Majesty’s paternal heritage. His Late Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh was born a Prince of Greece, and as such, in a service so deeply reminiscent and steeped in the memories of His Majesty’s Late Mother, Queen Elizabeth II, The Greek Choir were invited to remind His Majesty of his Father’s influence, and dedicated service to the Late Queen, his family, the United Kingdom, the Realms and the Commonwealth.
Psalm 71
Ὁ Θεός, τὸ κρίμα σου τῷ βασιλεῖ δὸς καὶ τὴν δικαιοσύνην σου τῷ υἱῷ τοῦ βασιλέως κρίνειν τὸν λαόν σου ἐν δικαιοσύνῃ καὶ τοὺς πτωχούς σου ἐν κρίσει. Ἀλληλούΐα.
Κρινεῖ τοὺς πτωχοὺς τοῦ λαοῦ καὶ σώσει τοὺς υἱοὺς τῶν πενήτων καὶ ταπεινώσει συκοφάντην. Ἀλληλούΐα.
Καὶ συμπαραμενεῖ τῷ ἡλίῳ καὶ πρὸ τῆς σελήνης γενεὰς γενεῶν. Ἀλληλούΐα.
Ἀνατελεῖ ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις αὐτοῦ δικαιοσύνη καὶ πλῆθος εἰρήνης, ἕως οὗ ἀνταναιρεθῇ ἡ σελήνη. Ἀλληλούΐα.
Δόξα Πατρί, καὶ Υἱῷ, καὶ Ἁγίῳ Πνεύματι. Καὶ νῦν καὶ ἀεί, καὶ εἰς τούς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. Ἀμήν.
Κύριε, σῶσον τὸν Βασιλέα καὶ ἐπάκουσον ἡμῶν ἐν ᾗ ἂν ἡμέρα ἐπικαλεσώμεθά σε.
Ἀλληλούϊα,
Ἀλληλούϊα,
Ἀλληλούϊα. Δόξα σοι ὁ Θεός ἡμῶν, δόξα σοι.
Give the king your judgements, O God, and your righteousness to the son of a king. Then shall he judge your people righteously and your poor with justice. Alleluia.
May he defend the poor among the people, deliver the children of the needy and crush the oppressor. Alleluia.
May he live as long as the sun and moon endure, from one generation to another. Alleluia.
In his time shall righteousness flourish, and abundance of peace till the moon shall be no more. Alleluia.
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now, and shall be for ever. Amen
O Lord, save the king and answer us when we call upon you.
Alleluia,
alleluia,
alleluia. Glory to you, our God, glory to you.
Reflecting on his involvement in the Ceremony, Dr. Lingas said:
As a scholar and practitioner of the ancient traditions of Byzantine chant, I am deeply honored to have been asked to help realize the request of His Majesty, King Charles III that the Coronation include a musical tribute to his late father, His Royal Highness the Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh.
Integrating Greek psalmody into the equally ancient rites of the Coronation Service is a profound and beautiful demonstration of the deep appreciation for Orthodox Christianity long shown by both His Majesty and the late Duke of Edinburgh.
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