St. James Cathedral and the Bishop’s Committee on Interfaith Ministry are hosting a vigil for peace and justice in the world. The vigil and an Evensong service will be held at the cathedral on Sunday, March 17 from 4:30-8 p.m. All are invited to attend, either in person or online. The event is part of the cathedral’s observance of the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.
“Our gospel calls us to pursue the things that make for peace and build up the common life,” says the Rev. Canon Dr. Stephen Fields, sub-dean and vicar of the cathedral. “We encourage people, whether they are Christian or not, to come out and pray for peace, to image what it looks like and feels like, and to empathize with those who are far from it.”
The Very Rev. Robert Willis, dean emeritus of Canterbury Cathedral, will preach at the Evensong service, which begins at 4:30 p.m. Dean Willis gained a worldwide audience during the pandemic when he and his partner, Fletcher Banner, made videos of Morning Prayer from the deanery garden of Canterbury Cathedral.
In addition to preaching at Evensong, Dean Willis will help to set the tone for the prayers and reflections of the vigil, which begins at 6:30 p.m. There will be five stations around the cathedral, each representing a part of the world that is experiencing war or civil unrest. The areas will be the Middle East, southeast Asia, north and central Africa, eastern Europe and the rest of the world. Prayers and reflections will be offered at each station. There will also be lighting of candles and music, both choral and instrumental.
“We welcome everyone to come in and make it a time of community at prayer,” says Canon Fields. For more information, visit the cathedral’s website at www.stjamescathedral.ca.
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