P. Pilgrim
These past few months the British monarchy has been in a frenzy as they get ready for the coronation of King Charles III. He became King on the death of his mother Queen Elizabeth II on 8 September 2022 last year. However, this weekend on the 6th May Charles and his wife Carmilla will both be crowned in a joint ceremony King and Queen of the United Kingdom. There has not been a joint coronation since King Charles III’s grandparents in 1937 when King George VI and his wife Queen Elizabeth were crowned together. Around 8000 military personal on parade from the four military services and over 2200 guest from across the world have been invited to witness this historic event. It will be filled with the pageantry that you expect to see on such occasion. From a gold carriage, military mass bands to a 700 year old throne. The King will reuse historic items of clothing from the royal collection, worn by previous monarchs at past coronations as early as 1821 for King George IV. His Majesty will reuse the Colobium Sindonis, a simple sleeveless white linen shift, the Coronation Sword Belt a type of girdle made of cloth of gold, and embroidered in gold thread with arabesques and scrolls. He will also wear the Coronation Glove which will be worn on his right hand during the crowning ceremony. The Britain’s monarch will also wear a floor-length cloak called the Imperial Mantle. It fastens across the chest with a golden eagle clasp. The priest-like mantle was made for George IV in 1821 and weighs about 3 to 4 kg. They will use the 2 kg, St Edward’s Crown, which is reserved exclusively for the coronation occasion. It was originally made for the coronation of Charles II in 1661 and later worn by Queen Elizabeth II during her coronation in 1953. The king will have been practising wearing it to help him prepare for the day. He reported himself that he remembered his mother coming to help bath him when he was 3 years old wearing the crown!
The King wishes it to be a time of celebration after the difficult months of covid, a time for people to come together again. Many towns and villages are holding coronation street parties and picnics to celebrate this historic occasion on Sunday. Then a Coronation Concert has been planned to take place at Windsor Castle in the evening. It will be produced, staged and broadcast live by the BBC and BBC Studios. The Coronation Concert will bring global music icons and contemporary stars together in celebration of the occasion. The nation has been given an extra day off on Monday to take part in the Big Help Out. It will highlight the positive impact volunteering has on communities across the nation and will be a tribute to His Majesty’s 40 years of the King’s public service. It is designed to encourage people to try volunteering for themselves and join the work being undertaken to support their local areas.
The apostle Paul gives the Lord Jesus Christ the title the King of Kings in 1Timothy 6:15 saying ‘Which in his times he shall shew, who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords;’. This teaches that on the earth there will be many Kings, but that Jesus is the only King of Kings, the superior one above all the kings on the earth. There is no one like him. No matter the pomp and pageantry that will accompany this once in a life time event it will be nothing compared to the return of the King when he comes to re-take his earthly throne.
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