Henry Purcell - Christ is made the sure foundation

Ecumenical Celebration at Westminster Abbey, City of Westminster, 17 September 2010

Christ is made the sure foundation
Words: Latin, c7th--8th century, translated by John Mason Neale
Music: Henry Purcell
Sung by: Westminster Abbey Choir


Text:
Christ is made the sure foundation,
and the precious corner-stone,
who, the two walls underlying,
bound in each, binds both in one,
holy Sion's help for ever,
and her confidence alone.

All that dedicated city,
dearly loved by God on high,
in exultant jubilation
pours perpetual melody,
God the One, in threefold glory,
singing everlastingly.

To this temple, where we call thee,
come, O Lord of hosts, today;
with thy wonted loving-kindness,
hear thy people as they pray;
and thy fullest benediction
shed within its walls for ay.

Here vouchsafe to all thy servants
gifts of grace by prayer to gain;
here to have and hold for ever,
those good things their prayers obtain,
and hereafter, in thy glory,
with thy blessèd ones to reign.

Laud and honour to the Father;
laud and honour to the Son,
laud and honour to the Spirit,
ever Three, and ever One,
One in love, and One in splendour,
while unending ages run. Amen.

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[ds1868]

I wonder what Henry Purcell is thinking, as he lies in his grave in the South Aisle adjacent to the organ case, in this great Abbey church in which he was Organist and Master of the Choristers, as a Pope and Bishop of Rome walks past just a few feet from his tomb?

[brandonlh05]

At 1:23, I think the pope is thinking: "Damn, the Anglicans can put on a show".

[hrmjustin]

Anglicans at our best. I was a roman catholic, but I left for the Episcopal Church 15 years ago. I do wish there was intercommunion between the churches. We both have apostolic succession. But the rcc will never accept us. Oh well God loves us all equally.

[jeff62rey]

Brothers and Sisters! The time for the Lord's coming draws near! It is time to put aside all human divisions and Worship together His Holy Name. The Holy Father is being led by the Holy Spirit as is the Archbishop of Canterbury to find 'Common Ground.' We are One in the Lord despite our weakness of Understanding, or inadquacy of Love, our failure to set aside pride and prejudice. ")Come Holy Spirit" and make Jesus prayer in John 17 a reality among us before You visibly come again. Amen!

[mudgebauer]

Its nice to see the Pope chumming it up with the Anglcans." Cant we all just get along...? " To quote that infamous Negro criminal in L.A. Remember what King Narsise always said..."Its nce to be nice".

[OfficialRJLextro]

1:24

"Ooooh, so many boys... who to choose..."

Nah i'm kidding. I'm a Catholic ;)

[PsychoPunk1965]

@brandonlh05 Anglicans are keepers of the liturgy, and Anglicanism is a "preserved catholicism."

[SonofDurgesuth]

@ds1868 Keep the noise down!

[Rens1989]

@tonganfoilole69 Actually, the church as a whole was founded bij Christ, not the Roman Catholic church. It dos carry that tradition, yet it is not the same as that early church. I personally believe that all churches are founded by Christ and carry the tradition of the Christian church and are led by Christ and no human being. He is perfectly capable of handling the church Himself

[Rens1989]

@OhSnap8306 No of course not. These are proper manners of adressing one and onther. The Queen adresses him as His Holiness as wel, that doesn`t mean that she`s gone catholic

[hortulanus94]

@tonganfoilole69 True...but catholics did change (for the worse) and thus need reformation.