Requiem consolation

This evening, Clare and I walked to Llandaff Cathedral across the Fields for the Solemn Requiem Mass for All Souls Day. I noticed yesterday on Twitter the time of the service stating that Faure's Requiem was to be sung by the Cathedral Consort choir for the celebration. Faure's rendering of the traditional liturgical texts for Masses of the Dead was slightly at variance with the official one, as he was somewhat more universalist and generous spirited in his theology than was the Roman curia, so it didn't get official approval for use in church and thus was mostly performed in concert like some of the other earlier great but lengthy requia of previous centuries. It has been used liturgically in some Anglican places of worship, however, as it's not exceedingly long.

The music was sung with disciple and great passion by the choir, and the ceremonial was just what it needed to be, using the vast space of the Cathedral choir and sanctuary in a clean and simple way. Beneath Epstein's Majestas a table was set up containing sand trays for candles, the Paschal Candle and Gospel book behind. After the Dean's homily the congregation were invited to receive a votive candle and place in one of the trays while remembering people they love but see no longer. For me it was a matter of remembering my dear friend Mike who died last summer, brother in law Eddie who was buried on this day three years ago, also Mary Jones and Pauline Grainger of the St John's City Parish church who both died earlier this year. On the way there, we walked along the perimeter path close to the family grave in the Cathedral cemetery where Pauline is buried. It still saddens me that I was out of the country when the funerals of three of them occurred, apart from Eddie. An All Souls day experience like this allows me to revisit and pray through the sadness in that numinous space created by the combination of great liturgy, music and architecture. Such a gift, to be grateful for.