Celebrating St David's Day
- Occurring
- for 1 hour
- Venue
- St Bride's Church, Fleet Street
- Address St Bride's Church, Fleet Street, London, EC4Y 8AU 020 7427 0133, EC4Y 8AU, United Kingdom
All welcome to attend a special Choral Evensong which will honour the life and witness of the great sixth‑century patron saint of Wales, St David.
He and our own matron saint, Brigid of Kildare, sprang from the interweaving of Celtic traditions and early medieval Christianity.
David shaped a faith rooted in community, compassion, and a deep reverence for creation. His and Brigid’s shared legacy of simplicity, generosity, and everyday holiness invites us to pause amid the busyness of life and rediscover the quiet strength to “Be joyful, keep the faith, and do the little things.”
Choral Evensong is a peaceful and prayerful service, steeped in history and tradition and full of wonderful music. It lasts under one hour.
Photo above: Central icon of the restored shrine to St David in St David’s Cathedral, painted and gilded by Sarah Crisp.
Music at the service
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Music for the service – which is performed by our professional St Bride’s Choir and organist – is by composers with strong Welsh connections.
The responses are by James Gough (a former organ scholar at St Bride’s), who grew up in Swansea. The anthem is a setting of Psalm 67 by the Welsh composer, William Mathias, who is buried at St Asaph Cathedral. The canticles are by Walford Davies, who ended his life as a very British establishment figure, but had a Welsh family background and was Professor of Music at Aberystwyth for many years.
Responses: James Gough
Psalm: 135: 1-14
Canticles: Evening Service in E flat – Henry Walford Davies
Anthem: Let the people praise thee, O God – William Mathias
Sermon: The Revd Dr Jeff Lake, Associate Priest of St Bride’s