Being within striking distance of Chichester Cathedral and with a free evening, I went to their Ascension Day Eucharist.
I had some time beforehand to wandered rou those parts of the interior which were open and unscaffolded, and found myself standing by a slab with a planetary theme covering Holst’s mortal remains, with a memorial to anniversary composer Thomas Weelkes in front of me. The service was held in the Quire and I was seated near enough to the choir to pass the peace to a lay clerk.
Memorial to Thomas Weelkes
The music was a modern-language Communion setting by Philip Moore, new to me, and from the many possible Ascension anthems Stanford’s Cœlos ascendit hodie. I was a little sorry that only one of the hymns was specifically for Ascension – it’s such a short season that it’s a shame to sing hymns that one could have at most other times of the year.