All Hail The King.


Sir: To keep you ever mindful of the Law

and the Gospel of God as the Rule for the whole life

and government of Christian Princes, receive this Book,

the most valuable thing that this world affords.

Here is Wisdom; This is the royal Law;

These are the lively Oracles of God.

This is the ceremonial dialogue that will be recited as King Charles III is presented with a copy of the Holy Bible. A Bible has been presented to every Monarch as part of every Coronation ceremony since 1689 when it was presented to William III, Prince of Orange and his wife Queen Mary.

It is called “The Royal Law” and “The Lively Oracles Of God”. Over 1000 years of heritage and history is contained within our Monarchy. What other Nation can make such a claim of longevity? It hasn’t been a perfect system by any means. But then again, no ceremony is. Everything from The Papacy to The Presidency has all been flawed in one way or another.

But “ceremonies” are what every culture has in common. Every culture, whether ancient or modern, can be identified by their ceremonies. Ancient tribes from the Polynesian Islands to Australia, to India, to Africa, to the South American continent all have their indigenous ceremonies. It’s what gives them their “personality”. And what they all share in common is the provenance of a people who love being a part of their own unique pageantry. And that’s what it boils down to – “Being a part of it”.

My wife and I have visited Buckingham Place, Clarence House, Hampton Court Palace, The Tower of London, Westminster Abbey, Westminster Palace. We have seen the various Crowns and some of the royal regalia of The British Isles. And all these visits evoke and heighten our sense of patriotism and a sense of “belonging” to an ancient culture.

The Bible is very big on ceremonies. Everything from the garments of the members of the ancient Priesthood to the final coronation ceremony of Jesus. Ceremonies, which were enshrined in the ancient laws of Israel, all served to identify Israel as a nation set apart. They were distinct from other nations.

1 Kings ch1 v34 - There let Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anoint him king over Israel; and blow the horn, and say, 'Long live King Solomon!'

1 Kings ch1v39 - Then Zadok the priest took a horn of oil from the tabernacle and anointed Solomon. And they blew the horn, and all the people said, "Long live King Solomon!"

1 Kings ch1 v40 - And all the people went up after him; and the people played the flutes and rejoiced with great joy, so that the earth seemed to split with their sound.

Source:- The Holy Bible – NKJV.

Archbishop of Canterbury:

Be your hands anointed with holy oil.

Be your breast anointed with holy oil.

Be your head anointed with holy oil, as kings, priests, and prophets were anointed.

And as Solomon was anointed king by Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet, so may you be anointed, blessed, and consecrated King over the peoples, whom the Lord your God has given you to rule and govern; in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

Amen.

Source - THE AUTHORISED LITURGY FOR THE CORONATION RITE OF HIS MAJESTY KING CHARLES III

www.churchofengland.org

So, we will have the Coronation ceremony on TV and will be watching it as the events proceed. And we will remember our feelings as we walked along The Mall, as we stood inside Westminster Abbey and looked out along The Nave from The Jubilee Gallery. We will remember when we stood in the central hall of Westminster Palace and saw 1000 yrs of these Island’s history reflected in the symbolism painted onto the walls and ceilings.

And I will smile knowing that we are still a part of this rich and glorious ceremony. A very, very small part, but a part nonetheless.

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