Westminster Abbey

Everyone is welcome at Westminster Abbey this #Lent and #Easter. Join us from wherever you are in the world for services, prayer and reflections. Find out more: westminster-abbey.org/easter

Our Passiontide image today shows Christ being taken down from the cross following his crucifixion, as recorded in St Mark's Gospel: 'Taking down the body, [Joseph] wrapped it in the linen cloth, and laid it in a tomb that had been hewn out of the rock.'

Visit our website for more resources to help you spend time with God this Lent through conversation, music, scripture and poetry: westminster-abbey.org/lent-digital-q…

Take a moment to stop and reflect in the 13th-century Chapel of St Faith. Originally serving as the monks' vestry, the chapel offers a quiet, serene space to focus on your Lenten reflections and prayer.

Everyone is welcome in the Abbey at 5pm on Sunday for a recital by our Assistant Organist, who'll be playing a programme of music by Bach. Places are free, and you can find out more at: westminster-abbey.org/worship-music/…

'Then Mary said, 'Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.'' Luke 1: 38 #Annunciation

This moving scene of the crucifixion from the Litlyngton Missal is our #Passiontide image today. 'Jesus said, 'Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing'' - Luke 23: 34

On the International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery, we're honouring two leading campaigners for the abolition of the transatlantic slave trade who are remembered in St Margaret's Church here at the Abbey - both of whom had previously been enslaved. Charles Ignatius Sancho (1729-1780) escaped from slavery and rose to distinction in Georgian London. Amongst his other achievements as an abolitionist, writer, composer and actor, Sancho is the first man of African descent thought to have voted in a British election, and to have had an obituary published in the national newspapers. In 2023 we dedicated a memorial to Sancho and his wife Anne Osborne in St Margaret's Church - where they married in December 1758 and where their eight children were baptised. Olaudah Equiano (1745-1797) was born in Africa and was enslaved from the age of eleven. After trading on some of his voyages, he was eventually able to buy his freedom in 1768. He worked as a hairdresser in London before returning to sea on various expeditions including one to the Arctic alongside Horatio Nelson. He later became an author and a leading figure in the British movement for the abolition of the slave trade. His memorial in St Margaret's Church - where he was baptised - was dedicated in 2009. #RememberSlavery

Architect Nicholas Hawksmoor died #onthisday in 1736. He served as Surveyor of the Fabric here at Westminster Abbey from 1723. He designed the upper sections of the west towers, which were completed after his death by his successor John James in 1745. They have been a much-loved feature of the London skyline ever since.

We're celebrating the Annunciation of Our Lord to the Blessed Virgin Mary at our services today. Everyone is welcome to join us for Sung Eucharist at 5pm (GMT), either in the Abbey or via our livestream. You can find out more and watch the service live or on demand at: youtube.com/watch?v=Yo-pUz…

'Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me, for in you my soul takes refuge; in the shadow of your wings I will take refuge, until the destroying storms pass by.' Psalm 57: 1

You can listen to more reflections from the Abbey throughout Lent. This year, we're exploring the series of statements that Jesus makes about himself in the Gospel of John. From ‘I am the bread of life’ to ‘I am the resurrection and the life’, these seven ‘I Am’ statements help us learn who Jesus is, and what it means to follow Him as disciples. Sign up to our free newsletter to receive each reflection direct to your inbox: westminster-abbey.org/join-our-maili…

'Our fragile humanity has been put back together by the death and resurrection of Jesus, so that we need no longer fear death. Christ’s death is also our death, and his resurrection is the first fruit of the new creation in which we will share.' On the Fifth Sunday of Lent, our Canon Theologian, the Reverend Dr James Hawkey, reflected on Christ's statement, 'I am the resurrection and the life'. Listen to the full reflection now at: audioboom.com/posts/8876166-…

Every day this week, we're looking at the events of Passiontide through images from the 14th-century Litlyngton Missal. Today's image shows Christ being raised onto the cross: 'Whoever believes in me believes not in me but in him who sent me. And whoever sees me sees him who sent me. I have come as light into the world, so that everyone who believes in me should not remain in the darkness.'

St Oscar Romero died #onthisday in 1980. He committed himself to the poor of his native El Salvador and was assassinated while celebrating Mass. He was beatified by Pope Francis in 2015 and canonised in Rome in 2018. He is one of ten twentieth-century Christian martyrs remembered with a statue above the Abbey's Great West Door.

'Cast your burden on the Lord, and he will sustain you' Psalm 55: 22

This scene of Jesus carrying the cross is our next Passiontide image from the Litlyngton Missal: ‘So they took Jesus; and carrying the cross by himself, he went out to what is called The Place of the Skull, which in Hebrew is called Golgotha’ – John 19: 17

In our short film for families, find out all about #Easter, how Christians celebrate this special season - and why we eat chocolate eggs at this time of year! Watch now ⤵️

Book your space now: bit.ly/4rIsoGC

Join us in the Abbey on Wednesday 22 April for an evening with author Amy Jeffs. She'll be telling the legendary stories behind some of our nation's significant saints and how they have influenced the history of our capital - all in the beautiful setting of the Lady Chapel, where there are depictions of almost a hundred saints.

'The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness' Lamentations 3: 22-23