5 p.m. Three Choirs Evensong for the Feast of St. Cecilia

The Choirs of St. John’s, Christ Church, and St. Peter’s Episcopal join together to sing this liturgy of Choral Evensong for the Feast of St. Cecilia, the patron saint of musicians. The combined choirs will sing works by Herbert Howells, Joanna Forbes L’Estrange, and Katherine Webb. A reception will be held in the Green-Meldrim House following the liturgy. This is free and open to the public, with ample parking available in the church’s parking lot behind St. John’s.

This new initiative will be a yearly tradition when these three choirs join to sing a liturgy and rotate locations between the three parishes. 

What is a Service of Evensong?
The Order of Evening Prayer, like the rest of the Prayer Book, is based on the ancient Latin liturgy of the western catholic church, but in the Reformation simplified, condensed, purified in doctrine, and rendered into plain, dignified, rhythmic English prose. In its structure, it follows the Pauline gospel triad (derived from Luther’s reading of the Epistle to the Romans) of repentance, faith, and works (or charity), also known as “guilt, grace, and gratitude”.

Who is St. Cecilia?
Saint Cecilia is one of the most revered Roman martyrs in the early Christian church. According to legend, she was struck three times on the neck with a sword and miraculously lived for three days, during which she requested that her home be turned into a church. This became the Church of St. Cecilia, originally built in the fourth century and later rebuilt in 1599.

Cecilia is the patron saint of music, and her legacy inspired the first music festival in her honor in 1570 in Normandy. The National Academy of Saint Cecilia, founded in 1585, is among the world’s oldest musical institutions. Her story symbolizes the deep connection between faith and sacred music.