Bishop Christopher ChessunAt the heart of our national life, since her accession to the throne sixty years ago, we have been very blessed by the Queen’s remarkable example of devoted service to her people.

To mark the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee the Worshipful Company of Glaziers and Painters of Glass, neighbours and friends to the Cathedral, offered the Chapter a window, which following a competition is now being made in Reykjavik.

The window has been designed by Leifur Breidfjord from Iceland and will be installed in the south side of the Retrochoir constructed in 1212 and so celebrating 800 years, another sign of remarkable continuity and change held together in place and person. It will be dedicated at the beginning of June after the Diamond Jubilee Pageant with its focus on the River Thames.

In the words of the new Dean, Andrew Nunn: ‘It incorporates a large number of prisms of glass, scattered through the design – just like jewels descending from heaven to earth and the eye is drawn from earth to heaven. It speaks to us of the way in which Her Majesty has always and in a very modest but clear way testified to her Christian faith throughout her reign.’

In one corner section of the window are the striking words: Vivat Regina! Defender of the Faith. Diamond Jubilee 2012. ‘Vivat Regina’ – Long live the Queen – shouted out at the Coronation, is a prayer that has very evidently been granted. The Queen has taken her Coronation promises and her role as a constitutional monarch very seriously. In her latest Christmas Broadcast the Queen spoke simply and profoundly about her Christian convictions: ‘Although we are capable of great acts of kindness, history teaches us that we sometimes need saving from ourselves – from our recklessness or our greed. God sent into the world a unique person – neither a philosopher nor a general (important though they are) – but a Saviour with the power to forgive.’

The Diamond Jubilee coincides with a year of Olympic Games in London and other commemorations, including at Easter, the millennium of the martyrdom of Alphege, Archbishop of Canterbury, in Greenwich. Greenwich has been awarded Royal Borough status and there will be many local Diamond Jubilee celebrations throughout the Diocese.

Along with other Dioceses there will be an opportunity for churches, schools and parishioners to express their gratitude in messages on the Diocesan website which will be collected and presented to the Queen. There are also good ‘Prayers and Liturgical Resources for use in the Church of England during Her Majesty’s Diamond Jubilee Year’ to be found at www.diamondjubilee.churchofengland.org

On February 6th, the sixtieth anniversary of the Queen’s accession, you may wish to join me in giving thanks to God for Elizabeth our Queen:

God of time and eternity,
whose Son reigns as servant, not master;
we give you thanks and praise
that you have blessed this Nation, the Realms and Territories
with ELIZABETH
our beloved and glorious Queen.
In this year of Jubilee,
grant her your gifts of love and joy and peace
as she continues in faithful obedience to her Lord and God
and in devoted service to her lands and peoples,
and those of the Commonwealth,
now and all the days of her life:
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.
(The Diamond Jubilee Prayer)

+Christopher Southwark