A Service for Europe Day

Tuesday, 11th May 2010

A Service for Europe Day to Mark the 60th Anniversary of the Schuman Declaration was held at Westminster Abbey on Sunday 9th May 2010.

The Declaration was made by the then French Foreign Minister Robert Schuman on 9th May 1950. It is viewed as the first official step in the foundation of the present EU.

At the start of the service, which was attended by Ambassadors and Representatives of the 27 countries of the European Union, the flag of the EU was presented to the Dean of Westminster, the Very Reverend Dr John Hall at the Lantern Altar.

Laurence Auer, Cultural Counsellor and Director of the French Institute, representing the Ambassador of France, read an extra from the Declaration.

HE Georg Boomgarden, the Ambassador of Germany, read Revelation 21: 1-5a; 22: 1-5 and HE Dr Ion Jinga, Ambassador of Romania, read John 17: 11b-23.

The Address was given by the Reverend Canon Guy Wilkinson, National Inter-Religious Affairs and Secretary for Inter-Religious Affairs to the Archbishop of Canterbury.

Prayers were led by the Reverend Graeme Napier, Minor Canon of Westminster.

The London Bulgarian Choir, directed by Dessislava Stefanova, sang. The organ was played by Samuel Rathbone, Westminster Abbey Organ Scholar.