THE FAITHFUL City has been busy preparing for the visit of Her Majesty Queen Camilla tomorrow for the annual Royal Maundy Service.
The Queen will be presenting ceremonial coins to 39 people from across the Diocese of Worcester at the city’s Cathedral.
These will be among the 150 handed out to people across the country on behalf of King Charles III.
The gift is presented in recognition of their exemplary Christian service to church and community over many years.
Many shops and businesses in Worcester have been draping their windows with Union flags ahead of the royal visit.
Several roads have been closed around the Cathedral ahead of the event.
The cathedral has been closed all day and has released a video showing its preparations for the event.
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The tradition of presenting alms on Maundy Thursday goes back to at least the 4th Century and the first record of The Monarch doing it is in 1213.
The service visits a different cathedral each year and it was last held in Worcester in 1980.
The number of men and women receiving the Maundy Money is 75-equivalent to the Monarch’s age.
For the service, Worcester Cathedral will become a ‘Chapel Royal’ with the Chapel Royal Choir singing alongside the Cathedral choir.
The word ‘Maundy’ comes from the Latin word meaning ‘Commandment’.
It was on this Thursday, the day before he died at the cross, that Jesus gave his disciples what he described as a new commandment:- ‘that you should love one another as I have loved you.’
As Lord High Almoner, Bishop John Inge will accompany Queen Camilla as she presents the gifts.
