THE eightieth anniversary of VE — Victory in Europe — Day, on 8 May, might be “a time to recollect with deep gratitude the courage and sacrifice of those that fought for the freedoms we enjoy today”, the Bishop of St Germans and Bishop for the Armed Forces, the Rt Revd Hugh Nelson, has said.
Last month, the Government announced that the anniversary of what Winston Churchill called “a temporary period of rejoicing”, because the Second World War continued within the Far East, can be marked over 4 days, starting on Bank Holiday Monday, with a military procession, and concluding on Thursday with a service of “celebration and remembrance” in Westminster Abbey (News 5 March).
On Friday, it was confirmed that the King and Queen would attend, alongside the Prince and Princess of Wales. The service, at noon, is to be broadcast on BBC1. Afterwards, the King and Queen are to look on the balcony of Buckingham Palace for a flypast, before hosting a tea party for war veterans. Street parties are encouraged through the week.
On Monday, a press release from Church House, Westminster, confirmed further plans, including coordinated church bell-ringing, prayers for peace, and an invite to light a virtual candle on the Church of England website.
“Events will offer a possibility for reflection, remembrance, and a renewed commitment to peace, echoing the spirit of unity that defined the top of the Second World War in Europe,” the statement said.
At 6.30 p.m. on VE Day, bells will ring out from churches and cathedrals, “echoing the sounds that swept across the country in 1945 . . . as a collective act of thanksgiving”. The national ringing initiative is supported by the Central Council of Church Bell Ringers and the Association of English Cathedrals.
Bishop Nelson continued: “In an increasingly dangerous world, I encourage all our churches to take part in these commemorations, to ring their bells, to supply prayers for peace, and to offer spaces for his or her communities to come back together in remembrance. As we honour the past, so we renew our commitment to constructing a more peaceful and just world for all.”
Cathedral Chapters, including those of St Albans, Carlisle, Durham, and Truro, have announced plans to mark the anniversary, including commemorative services of choral evensong on Thursday evening, celebratory lunches, and floodlighting in red, white, and blue.
Wells Cathedral has opened a latest knitting exhibition, “The Longest Yarn 2”, featuring 15 panels of knitted and crocheted scenes of Britain in wartime, organised by Tansy Forster. It follows “The Longest Yarn”, an exhibition of knitted scenes of the D-Day Landings, which was displayed in Southwell Minster last yr (News, 7 June 2024), after which in Peterborough Cathedral.
