08/09/2022
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, said: “It is with profound sadness that I join the nation, the Commonwealth and the world in mourning the death of Her Late Majesty The Queen. My prayers are with The King and the Royal Family. May God draw near them and comfort them in the days, weeks and months ahead.
“As we grieve together, we know that, in losing our beloved Queen, we have lost the person whose steadfast loyalty, service and humility has helped us make sense of who we are through decades of extraordinary change in our world, nation and society.
“As deep as our grief runs, even deeper is our gratitude for Her Late Majesty’s extraordinary dedication to the United Kingdom, her Realms and the Commonwealth. Through times of war and hardship, through seasons of upheaval and change, and through moments of joy and celebration, we have been sustained by Her Late Majesty’s faith in what and who we are called to be.
“In the darkest days of the Coronavirus pandemic, The Late Queen spoke powerfully of the light that no darkness can overcome. As she had done before, she reminded us of a deep truth about ourselves – we are a people of hope who care for one another. Even as The Late Queen mourned the loss of her beloved husband, Prince Philip, we saw once again evidence of her courage, resilience and instinct for putting the needs of others first – all signs of a deeply rooted Christian faith.
“As we sustain one another in the face of this challenge, our shared grieving will also be a work of shared reimagining. I pray that we commence this journey with a sense of Her Late Majesty’s faith and confidence in the future.
“As a faithful Christian disciple, and also Supreme Governor of the Church of England, she lived out her faith every day of her life. Her trust in God and profound love for God was foundational in how she led her life – hour by hour, day by day.
“In The Late Queen’s life, we saw what it means to receive the gift of life we have been given by God and – through patient, humble, selfless service – share it as a gift to others.
“Her Late Majesty found great joy and fulfilment in the service of her people and her God, “whose service is perfect freedom” (BCP). For giving her whole life to us, and allowing her life of service to be an instrument of God’s peace among us, we owe her a debt of gratitude beyond measure.
“The Late Queen leaves behind a truly extraordinary legacy: one that is found in almost every corner of our national life, as well as the lives of so many nations around the world, and especially in the Commonwealth.
“It was my great privilege to meet Her Late Majesty on many occasions. Her clarity of thinking, capacity for careful listening, inquiring mind, humour, remarkable memory and extraordinary kindness invariably left me conscious of the blessing that she has been to us all.
“In my prayers at this time I also give thanks for the marriage of The Late Queen and His Late Royal Highness Prince Philip. Theirs was an inspirational example of Christian marriage – rooted in friendship, nourished by shared faith, and turned outwards in service to others.
“May Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II rest in peace and rise in glory.”
The Archbishop of York, Stephen Cottrell said: “I join with many throughout our country and beyond as we mourn the death of Her Majesty The Queen. Throughout her long reign, and in all the confusions and challenges of a changing world, Her Majesty has been a constant, faithful presence.
“In 2014, Her Majesty remarked, “Christ’s example has taught me to seek, to respect and value all people of whatever faith or none.”
The Queen’s gift to engage with everyone whom she met and the ability to make them feel at ease was a remarkable skill and one which showed a deep connection to the people she served and a desire to live out Jesus’ teaching. On the occasions I had the pleasure of meeting Her Majesty, I can testify to the warmth and joy she brought to every occasion. But most of all, it was the resolute reality of her faith that struck me powerfully.
“In Her Majesty’s first Christmas broadcast, ahead of her Coronation she asked the nation, whatever their religion, to pray that God would give her wisdom and strength to carry out the solemn promise she would be making and to faithfully serve God and us all the days of her life.
“That is most definitely a prayer that has been answered. Her service to our nation and Commonwealth has been exemplified by her devotion to her duty, which has always been offered with joy. Underpinning this has been her deep faith in God and in her we have witnessed God’s faithfulness at work.
“Her Majesty leaves a remarkable legacy which not only lives on in this country, but stretches across the Commonwealth and the rest of the world. Her desire to bring people together and use her role to build up communities and wider society has been a cornerstone of her reign.
“Do join me in praying for members of the Royal Family over the coming weeks as the God who sustained Her Majesty throughout her life, guides them and brings them comfort. Above all, we pray also for our new King in the responsibilities that now rest upon him.
“The Queen was not shy in speaking of her faith and the hope and strength she found in Jesus Christ. At the heart of the good news of God is that through the death and resurrection of his son Jesus, the promise of new and eternal life is offered to us all. This belief, this hope, sustained our Queen and as she rejoices in that promise fulfilled so we too can draw comfort and hope from it.
“Many of us will struggle to imagine the life of our nation without the Queen. Her constancy and faithfulness has been deeply reassuring in a world that has changed so much. We give thanks for the Queen’s example, devotion and huge achievements. She found stability, perseverance and confidence in Jesus Christ who was the source of her hope and peace. May that also be true for each of us and for our nation; and may our dearly departed Queen rest in peace and rise in glory.”
The Bishop of London, Sarah Mullally, said: “To live in the service of others is not a popular thought in our society today. However, to serve others is one of the greatest things in life. It is precious and almost as rare. And like all precious things, it is costly. Service requires not so much physical strength as a strength of character. Her Majesty The Queen is an extraordinary example of a life lived in the service of others.
“Under the intense and relentless scrutiny of ever vigilant media, she has demonstrated a consistency of character, a commitment to service, a concern for others, and a clear deep Christian faith. She is after all known for many other things, for being head of state, mother, grandmother, formidable rider, wife of the Prince Philip, and a senior citizen who still worked over 40 hours a week.
“Even on her 21st birthday, she spoke to the Commonwealth and said, “I declare before you all that my whole life, whether it be short or long, shall be devoted to the service and the service of our great family, to which we all belong.” Her Majesty The Queen has exemplified this life of service in the dedication with which she has served this country over the whole of her lifetime. And she has served this country as a queen longer than any other monarch in history and has done so with utter dedication.
“Her Majesty was a truly remarkable person, with a remarkable Christian faith, about which she had increasingly been able to speak in recent years. In 1952, in her first Christian broadcast, looking forward to the coronation, she said this, “I want to ask you all, whatever your religion may be, to pray for me that on that day- to pray that God may give me wisdom and strength to carry out the solemn promises I shall be making and that I may faithfully serve Him and you all the days of my life.”
“She was a woman of faith. In her 2014 Christian broadcast, the queen described Jesus Christ as ‘an anchor in my life and a role model’. In a nation where faith is often contended and sometimes despised, she made no excuse for her own faith. And she did not hide it. On the contrary, it was the engine of her devotion to service.
“In an age that is, on one hand, increasingly secular, and on the other, fraught by religious conflicts, her approach was winsomely inclusive. She was the head of the Church yet in her speeches, she never tells anyone to go to church. Rather, she pointed to Jesus and how he expanded her capacity to love people with different beliefs. Overall, her approach has been testimonial, not argumentative. She told the world about the inspiration that Jesus had been for her in her own life and left others to decide if they were interested in being inspired themselves.
“And maybe her Majesty’s other rock was the Prince Philip, whom she described as her constant strength and guide. The two enjoyed the longest marriage in the history of the Commonwealth. The queen avowed her love and gratitude for Philip in 1997, in her golden wedding speech, saying, “He is someone who doesn’t take easily to compliments. He has quite simply been my strength and my stay all these years. And I and his whole family, and this and many other countries owe him a debt greater than he would ever claim or we shall ever know.”
“Wonderfully, Her Majesty The Queen’s example to the world has not been a dour, dutiful drudge, but of a woman who seemed to enjoy life – riding and horses and dogs and family. She didn’t have to invite a different Christian minister every weekend of her six-week Balmoral holiday to spend time with her family, but she did. She didn’t have to drive herself to the Sunday service in church on the Sandringham Estate when she was there, but she often did. She didn’t have to find out the names of the Sunday school prize winners and choose and present their prizes, but she did.
“A life lived in the service of others is a rare jewel. It is a jewel that she wore as a crown. We owe her much and Her Majesty will be greatly missed. My prayers are with the royal family at this time, and I pray that they may know God’s comfort and peace.”
The Bishop of Durham, Paul Butler, said: “Her Majesty has served this nation with such deep love for the people and care for the well-being of all. Her devotion to her duty and responsibilities have been amazing. All of this has been firmly rooted in her deep personal faith in Jesus Christ as her Lord and Saviour. We give thanks to God for her, knowing that she rests in peace and will rise in glory. Our prayers are with our new monarch, King Charles, all the Royal Family and our nation in this time of sadness and grief.”
The Bishop of Carlisle, James Newcome, said: “It is with huge sadness that we have all learned, today, of the death of Her Majesty The Queen. She has, of course, been our longest ever serving monarch, reigning longer than any other king or queen in the history of our nation.
“When she first became Queen, at a very young age and very unexpectedly, she committed herself to the service of this nation and all who live here and throughout the subsequent years she has never faltered in that service.
“Another thing that people will remember very much is her strong Christian faith. That has been evident both in the way that she has conducted herself in thousands and thousands of public engagements in her life with her family but also in her remarkable Christmas broadcasts that have brought encouragement and hope to so many people over the years.
“Having had the privilege of meeting her on various occasions and working in a very small way with her, I’ve also been constantly struck by her great personal warmth and kindness and that will be missed by everybody too.
“She has given through the years, a deep sense of security and continuity to this country, to the whole of Great Britain and throughout the Commonwealth. We will miss her and miss that sense of rock-like dependency enormously.
“At a time like this, of course, people will want to think and reflect, to give thanks and to pray and our churches throughout Cumbria will be open for that purpose.
“We wish the rest of the Royal Family our gratitude for her life and all that she has given in such a remarkable way, and we want to assure them of our prayers at this very difficult time.”
The Bishop of Chelmsford, Guli Francis-Dehqani, said: “My thoughts and prayers, and those of everyone in the Diocese of Chelmsford, are with the Royal Family, our nation and commonwealth.
“At this time of great sadness, we remember with profound gratitude Her Majesty the Queen’s contribution as monarch. Her reign included times of great joy and celebration but also many challenges. It has been a time of unprecedented change for this nation and the world but throughout, Her Majesty’s faith in God and extraordinary sense of duty helped to guide her.
“As we mourn Her Majesty’s death, we give thanks to God for her life, her faith and her exceptional devotion to her duty as monarch.
“Many across our Diocese will want to pay their own personal tributes and we will provide further details about how people can do this shortly.”
The Bishop of Chichester, Martin Warner, said: “Thanks be to God for the life of his servant, Queen Elizabeth II.
Her death is a moment of bereavement for the whole nation, and for the Commonwealth. She will remain in our hearts and minds as an exceptional example of public duty and commitment to her high calling, carried out with unswerving faith in God. Let us come together as a nation to mark her death with dignity and pride.
Our prayers are with those who have been close to her in the service of the crown over many years, together with all the members of the Royal Family as we pray for the new Sovereign, King Charles.”
The Bishop of Exeter, Robert Atwell, said: “The death of The Queen represents a watershed in the life of the nation. Like the majority of the population, I cannot remember a time when Queen Elizabeth was not on the throne.
"She combined a strong sense of duty with a deep Christian faith. She had an extraordinary ability to generate goodwill by celebrating the work of ordinary people and charities and by encouraging service to others. She was a very private person who was public property, someone whom the world over held in great affection and esteem.
"This nation – and the Church of which she was head – owe her an enormous debt of gratitude. May she rest in peace and rise in glory.”
The Bishop in Europe, Robert Innes, said: "Queen Elizabeth was a deeply loved and cherished monarch, in the United Kingdom and across the Commonwealth – and was held with considerable affection and respect around the world. Within our own Diocese we think especially of Malta, which she loved and where she and Prince Philip lived for a time before she acceded to the throne.
“Her Majesty saw enormous changes in the world during her reign and yet she remained a constant figure for us all – a symbol of faith, duty and public service. That was something she pledged herself to as a young woman and it was something from which she never deviated.
“As our Elizabethan era ends with sadness, so a new era begins with hope and expectation. We offer our prayers for our new monarch, His Majesty King Charles, and the Queen Consort, Camilla. May they know God’s wisdom and blessing – for the days and weeks ahead and in the years to come.
“God save the King.”
The Bishop of Leeds, Nick Baines, said: “Today the world has changed. The death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, who has served for over seven decades. We see the end of an era. This will have an impact not only in this country, but also in the Commonwealth and beyond, across the globe where she has been respected, indeed revered, for her commitment to duty and service over such a long time.
“Since she has been the sovereign, the world has changed considerably, and she has managed to be rooted, particularly in her Christian commitment throughout those years. A mark, a sign of stability, of solidity, of confidence in a rapidly changing world.
“But today we pray not only for the rest of her soul, but also for those she leaves behind, for her family who know her not just as the Queen, but as someone they loved deeply as a mother, grandmother, great grandmother.
“We pray for the nation at a time of real and symbolic change with all the fragilities of the world around us. We pray for the Commonwealth and the wider global community at a time of conflict and uncertainty. We pray that what we learn from the Queen's long life and long commitment may be something that we take into the future.
“So we pray for ourselves. We pray for the new sovereign. But, at this point, we thank God for Her Majesty the Queen and commend her to the God of mercy and love whom she has served for so long.”
The Bishop of Leicester, Martyn Snow, said: “I learnt of the death of her Majesty the Queen today with enormous sadness at the loss of a faithful, courageous and inspirational monarch.
"She was a great gift to our country, ruling for 70 years with complete dedication to her people and to her vocation. She succeeded in being Queen for all of us, whatever our status, beliefs or background. As we all know, she was held in deep respect and admiration across the world, by both ordinary people and international leaders.
“Having had the privilege of meeting her personally, I found Her Majesty to be warm and approachable, intensely interested in others and always keen to remind us that it is our common efforts that forge and maintain our community life. Her Christian faith provided an inspiration and encouragement to many and was the motivation to her life-long desire to serve her country and the Commonwealth, and their people. We owe her a deep debt of gratitude.
“Today we pray for the Royal Family in their own grief and extend our deepest sympathy to them.”
The Bishop of Lichfield, Michael Ipgrave, said: “I share the deep sorrow of people across the Diocese of Lichfield at the death of Her Late Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II, and send our condolences to all members of the Royal Family.
“The Queen lived a remarkable life of faithful service and maintained strength, courage and grace as she led our country through countless changes and challenges. She has served all our communities tirelessly and lived a life the like of which we are unlikely ever to witness again.
“The Queen’s strong personal faith in Jesus Christ informed her sense of duty and her role as Defender of the Faith. We pray now that she finds rest and peace, assured by her faith, and for our cathedral and other churches across the diocese in the coming days and weeks as they offer a place of consolation for all those who mourn.
“We also pray for His Majesty The King at the beginning of his reign and we pray that he may know comfort as he grieves his mother’s death.”
The Bishop of Loughborough, Saju Muthalaly, said: “We are all feeling an immense loss; the loss of someone held in such high regard and affection for so many years. The grief we feel should not be hurried away but patiently borne with the help of the Lord as we take time to give thanks for such a remarkable life of service and faithfulness. I pray for our nation and commonwealth to follow her example as we unite in mourning our steadfast, gracious Queen, who devoted her entire life to us all and relied on God’s help to do so. Each of us following her example to live lives of service and faithfulness would be a fitting legacy.”
The Acting Bishop of Newcastle, Mark Wroe, said: 'Words cannot express the impact that Her Majesty's death has had on our nation. Queen Elizabeth II served our nation with love and absolute dedication throughout her reign and provided wisdom and stability at times of great change and challenge."Her leadership was greatly admired at home and across the world, and her faith was an inspiration to the Church and beyond. It is with deepest gratitude that I give thanks for her majesty's life and for her service to her people, and I pray for her family and for our nation at this time of deep sadness and grief.'
The Bishop of Oxford, Steven Croft, said: "Her Majesty the Queen has been a cherished presence in all of our lives and for the whole of our lives. She has been our example and a rock for the nation and commonwealth. Her devoted service has given stability to the nation throughout this Elizabethan age. Her deep, personal Christian faith has been an inspiration to many, including me.
“The whole nation will be united in mourning for our beloved Queen in the coming days. We will need time to grieve and to share our grief with others. We pray at this time for the Queen's family and especially for Charles as he prepares to become King. This will be a season for deep reflection in the life of our nation as we look back in thanksgiving and forward in hope.
“This United Kingdom has deep foundations in Christian faith. A key part of our faith is the distinctive hope of resurrection from the dead: that our life in Christ endures beyond death and for eternity. As we grieve and pray, we also look forward together in hope to that new and eternal life with God.
"We have prayed through all of our lives: God save the Queen. We now entrust Her Majesty to her Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and commit ourselves afresh to his service and to God's eternal kingdom.”
The Bishop of Portsmouth, Jonathan Frost said: “Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II served our nation with integrity, devotion and wisdom. Living faith in Jesus Christ gave her a spiritual compass in daily life and provided a source of steady inspiration for many within the Church, Nation and Commonwealth. On this day in which sadness and thanksgiving join hands, I pray with heartfelt gratitude for her life and faithful service.
“Her Majesty’s death will be deeply felt by very many and perhaps especially by her family. Conscious of the widespread public attention they will receive, we pray today that the Royal Family may know the consolation of Christ’s love in their loss.”
The Bishop of Rochester, Jonathan Gibbs, said: “It is with great sadness that we have learned today of the death of Her Majesty The Queen. "Our most sincere condolences, on behalf of the Diocese of Rochester, have been expressed to the Royal Family.
“The Queen’s long reign has offered stability and reassurance to the United Kingdom and beyond, and Her Majesty’s commitment and service both to the nation and the commonwealth have been a source of constant encouragement.
“Her Majesty’s death will be deeply felt by many. May we invite you to join us in remembering Her Majesty in prayer.”
The Bishop of Southwark, Christopher Chessun, said, “It is with great sadness that we have received the news of the death of Her Majesty The Queen who has been there for us all for longer than most of us have lived. Our beloved Queen will be remembered for her devotion to her peoples, to this nation and to the Commonwealth of Nations and there will be opportunities in the coming days and weeks for us all to express our heartfelt thanks for her life and example.
"Her Christian faith and witness has been an inspiration to us all. May she rest in Peace. We pray for His Majesty The King on his accession to the throne. Thanks be to God. God save the King.”
The Bishop of Truro, Philip Mounstephen, said: “I am greatly saddened to hear the news of the death of Her Majesty The Queen. She was born to a unique vocation, and it was one she took on with utmost seriousness.
"Her long reign spanned some fundamental shifts within our society – among them seismic changes to the way we, as a society, view both the monarchy and religion.
"And yet throughout that time she bridged different worlds and epochs in a remarkable manner and in way that provided a rare thread of stability and consistency. That speaks volumes about the faith which was the sure foundation of her life. She was not merely a titular figurehead in her role as Supreme Governor of the Church of England, but someone with a strong, firm, foundational and personal faith.
"As Queen, she was the very embodiment of the virtue of duty: a sense of duty founded firmly on her faith. Her commitment, stamina and wisdom were rare, unquestionable and deeply admirable. She has shaped all our lives in incalculable ways.
We mourn her passing and give our God great thanks for her.”
The Bishop of Dover, Rose Hudson-Wilkin, said: “It is with enormous sadness that we have received the news of the passing of our beloved Queen. May she rest in peace and rise in glory.
“In paying tribute to Her Majesty, I want to begin with the words of the poem she gave to her father when she was only 13 years of age and which he used.
"The poem was quoted, by her father, King George VI in his Christmas Day broadcast in 1939 - the year the country went to war for the second time. It goes like this:
'I said to the man who stood at the gate of the year,
"Give me a light that I may tread safely into the unknown."
And he replied;
"Go out into the darkness, put your hand into the hand of God.
"That shall be, to you, better than light and safer than a known way.’
“It is with some sadness that I address you because we have lost the Mother of our Nation. The longest serving, most hard-working monarch in British history. She has been a confidant and advisor to over a dozen British prime ministers and many other heads of state.
“She has been the supreme head of the Church of England - and this is not just another title that she held. She believed in God – worshipped weekly, prayed daily. She cared about the life of the Church and the nation, and she also respected those of other faiths too.
“When I was invited to Windsor Castle for a meal and an overnight stay, as we were being shown around, we lingered in the chapel as she explained the damage through the fire and the restoration work that was done.
“In the library, she showed me the paperwork relating to the details of the disestablishment of the Church in Jamaica - which at one stage was known as 'the Church of England in Jamaica'.
“When I learned of my appointment as one of her chaplains, and enquired about how this came about, I was told that when my name was mentioned she smiled and said: “Oh, I know her!” That placed a smile on my face.
“Her ability to put one at ease was paramount. That was all that we saw of her but - like so many - she was also a mother, a grandmother and a great-grandmother. Beloved by her nearest and dearest.
“Our national family mourns with her family, for she is irreplaceable. And in the grief of her passing may we comfort one another and trust in God’s peace that surpasses all understanding. Let us, like her, put our hands into the hand of God.”
The Bishop of Gloucester, Rachel Treweek, said: “It is with deep sadness that we hear the news of the Queen’s death. As our sense of loss ripples out across the nation, commonwealth and world, we give thanks for a life well lived. Whether we met her in person, saw her from a distance, or simply encountered her in our homes in newspapers, on the radio or on screen, we knew her as our Queen. We also knew that her leadership and dedication to her people was rooted in her Christian faith.
“As a follower of Jesus Christ the Queen embodied the call to love God and neighbour. And so in these days of sadness and sorrow may we reflect this same commitment in our homes, communities and nation as the Queen said in her Christmas Day speech of 1957 (the first one to be televised):
“Today we need a special kind of courage, not the kind needed in battle but a kind which makes us stand up for everything that we know is right, everything that is true and honest. We need the kind of courage that can withstand the subtle corruption of the cynics so that we can show the world that we are not afraid of the future.’’
“Churches across our diocese will be open for prayer and reflection as we give thanks for Queen Elizabeth II and pray for Charles, our new King, the Royal family and the life of our communities, nation and Commonwealth. I hope that people of all ages will choose to come together in a local service of worship on Sunday at which prayers will be said. For details of your nearest church please visit www.achurchnearyou.com
“May she rest in peace and rise in glory.”
The Bishop of Bath & Wells, Michael Beasley, and the Bishop of Taunton, Ruth Worsley, said in a joint tribute: “On behalf of the Diocese of Bath and Wells and the people of Somerset, Bishop Ruth and we would like to express our sorrow at the news of the death of Her Majesty The Queen.
“When she was just 21, the future Queen Elizabeth said: ‘I declare before you all that my whole life, whether it be long or short, shall be devoted to your service’. Today, her long life has come to an end.
“We give thanks for her life. A life of service and daily steadfastness in which the light of Jesus Christ has shone throughout the years. We now commend her to His care and keeping.
“For almost all of us, we cannot recall life before The Queen’s steady, consistent presence among us, and we are reeling at her loss.
“Our churches are open for you. To light a candle, say a prayer, sign a book of condolence, lay some flowers, talk to someone about your feelings and thoughts. We are here for you.
“Her loss will be felt most heavily by her family, and we remember them in our prayers in the coming days and weeks.
“Let us all give thanks for Queen Elizabeth II. May she rest in peace and rise in glory.”
The Bishop of Birmingham, David Urquhart said: “It is with great sadness we hear the announcement of the death of Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.
“I join with the many tributes that give thanks for her life and service, adding my condolences and prayers for The King and the whole Royal Family and as the Nation, Commonwealth and people across the world mourn with them.
“The Late Queen’s extraordinary life of service has been an inspiration and example for many generations. Her Christian faith was lived personally and publicly everyday of her life and was expressed most clearly in her compassionate and unifying Messages to the nation.
“Churches, other Places of Worship and communities throughout Birmingham will be offering prayers of thanksgiving and condolence over the coming days.”
The Bishop of Peterborough, Donald Allister, said: “I am so sad to hear of the death of our much-loved Queen.
“She was an outstanding example of self-giving leadership, of Christian faith and values affirmed and lived out, of deep wisdom and great encouragement.
“Those who were privileged to meet her (and in my case to stay with her and Prince Philip at Sandringham for a weekend) can testify that she made us feel comfortable and valued.
“In September 2015 I had the joy of speaking for the Bishops in the House of Lords, paying tribute to Queen Elizabeth on the day she became our longest-serving monarch. She has of course passed a number of milestones since then.
“On behalf of Peterborough Diocese, I offer our deep sympathies, and the assurance of our prayers, to our new King, and to all the royal family. We mourn and grieve too.
“God save the King.”
Tributes from Deans
The Dean of St Albans, the Very Revd Jo Kelly-Moore, who is the Chair of the Association of English Cathedrals, said: “It is with great sadness that we have received the news of the death of Her Majesty The Queen.
The Queen has been a beacon of hope, faith and unity in our country and throughout the world; a constant in the midst of so much change.
“Our Queen has also been a great support to the cathedrals of this land and the Commonwealth. Here in the United Kingdom every cathedral is part of her rich story as she has travelled the length and breadth of this nation during her long and happy reign. So too, we have been strengthened and supported by her prayers.
“Now the cathedrals will join our prayers as, together, we give thanks to God for Her Majesty The Queen’s extraordinary life, founded on her faith and seen in her gracious leadership and selfless service to us all.
“As in the cathedrals of this land we have prayed God’s blessing upon The Queen every day of her reign, we do so again now, and we pray for her family at this sad time.
“And we invite you, her people, to join us. All our cathedrals are open so please come and add your voices, and prayers, in remembrance and thanks. "
The Dean of Wells, John Davies, said: “Wells Cathedral has received the news of the death of Her Late Majesty The Queen with huge sadness. Hers was a life of faith, duty and loyalty that brought such reassurance and a sense of unity to so many.
“She has been a source of constancy and strength to many throughout her reign and has provided stability in a world that has changed so much. Our prayers are for the King, the Royal Family, and loved ones.
“The doors of this Cathedral stand open for all who wish to offer prayers and condolences, light candles and find solace as this nation mourns the passing of someone so very special. May our late and beloved Queen rest in peace and rise in glory.”
The Dean of Southwark, Andrew Nunn said: “It is with huge sorrow that we received the news of the death of Her Majesty The Queen.
“Her long reign and careful and loving leadership of our nations within this United Kingdom and across the Commonwealth has helped to create the people that we are.
“Our prayers, and the prayers of the community at Southwark Cathedral, are with His Majesty The King and the other members of the Royal Family and around the world all who will grieve her loss.
“The Platinum Jubilee celebrations, so fresh in our memories, were an opportunity to show The Queen just how much we loved and respected her and how thankful we are for her 70 years on the throne as our gracious Sovereign Lady.
“We are consoled that she died full of faith in her Risen Lord, Jesus Christ. Not only has she been a great monarch but an outstanding Christian, who has testified in word and deed to the one she served. May she receive her reward and rest in peace and rise in glory.”