As churches across the country said special prayers for the Queen and the new King on Sunday morning, Justin Welby said: “Her late Majesty taught us as much, if not more, about God and grace, both in words as well as with actions that reinforce them. , than any other contemporary figure. “We remember her not for what she had but for what she gave. What a precious person… and how keenly we feel her loss.” Welby was speaking at Canterbury Cathedral, following the practice that bishops must preside over their own cathedrals after the death of a sovereign. The congregation – some dressed in black, others in denim, florals or bold patterns – was overwhelmingly middle-aged and older, although a few young children occasionally punctuated the service with noise. “Please don’t feel uncomfortable if your child cries, it doesn’t bother me and, on behalf of the rest of the congregation, I’ll say it won’t bother them,” Welby said before setting off for his 15. -subtle preaching. He said that as well as causing “raw, ragged” grief in the nation and around the world, the Queen’s death on Thursday will have reminded people of the losses within their own families. For those who have recently lost loved ones, “their grief may well feel even more painful at this time of national and international mourning.” He said: “This moment is spoken of by many as a moment of uncertainty for the nation as a result of the death of someone who felt like an almost eternal point of stability. This fear relies for its power on leaving God out of our thinking. Nothing is lost to God.” In his sermon, Welby recalled instances where he had seen the Queen and her son Charles, now King, showing compassion to the people they met. For both, he said, their faith “was built on the rock of Christ … There is room on that rock for every man.” The service ended with the congregation singing the national anthem. Stephen Cottrell, the Archbishop of York, told a congregation at York Minster that the nation had entered a period of “quiet waiting”. The country was grieving like a family, he added. “It comes to us that we are the household of one nation and that we belong to one another. And part of grieving is telling our stories and sharing our thoughts when someone we loved dearly dies. “And hers was such a long life. And such a rich life, and such a long life of service. There is much to say and much to remember.” Archie Bland and Nimo Omer take you to the top stories and what they mean, free every weekday morning Privacy Notice: Newsletters may contain information about charities, online advertising and content sponsored by external parties. For more information, see our Privacy Policy. We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and Google’s Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. He said: “I cannot pretend to know the Queen well but, unlike most people, I have had the great pleasure and honor of meeting her on many occasions, and even on one occasion staying with her. “And what I saw in her was simple Christian discipleship. She said her prayers, went to church. She knew she needed that anchor in her life to live her life well.” Anglican churches that had silenced their bells as a mark of respect since the Queen’s death on Thursday were briefly allowed to ring in full on Sunday to celebrate Charles’ new reign. The Church of England has published special prayers to be said on Sunday. They included a family prayer to be said with children, which was criticized by some on social media for being “embarrassing” and childish. It read: “For the love of God our queen is dead and the people are sad. Thank you for her long life and her care for her people. We pray for our new King. Bless and guide him as his reign begins. Amen.”
