The public are invited to attend a special service of Choral Evensong at St Anne’s Cathedral, Belfast, to be held at 5.30pm Friday May 5, the eve of Coronation Day.

HM King Charles III requested that prayers are said for him across the nation on the eve of his Coronation.

The service, led by the Dean of Belfast the Very Rev Stephen Forde, will be the first full Cathedral Choral Evensong under the direction of Belfast Cathedral’s new Master of Music, Jack Wilson.

The service will be attended by members of the Cathedral Chapter of St Anne’s and by Mrs Jane Wells MBE, Deputy Lieutenant for Belfast, representing the Lord Lieutenant for the city of Belfast, Dame Fionnuala Jay-O’Boyle DBE DstJ.

The Responses are by William Byrd. Psalm 122 is set to a chant by Herbert Howells. The Canticles are set to Collegium Regale, also by Herbert Howells. The Anthem is Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace by Samuel Sebastian Wesley.

Dean Forde said: “With memories of the King’s visit to Belfast Cathedral on 13th September 2022 still fresh in our minds, we hope that people from right across the city of Belfast and beyond will attend this very special service to share in the nation’s celebrations for the coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla the following day.