The eightieth anniversary commemoration of Victory in Europe Day (VE Day) and Victory over Japan Day (VJ Day) will be marked this year.
The Prayer Book Society encourages all parishes marking the commemoration to use some of the prayers that would have been familiar to all British combatants during their time in service, for authenticity and a genuine reconnection with these moments in history.
VE Day will be marked on Thursday, 8th May. VJ Day on Friday, 15th August. Armed Forces Day falls between the two on Saturday, 28th June.
The Prayer Book would have been used across the world by British and Empire troops as they served at the end of World War II. The prayers and Collects would have been familiar to large numbers of troops. Matins and Evensong were widely attended at the time and many of the prayers suggested would have been prayed every Sunday, and indeed daily by the devout.
The Prayer Book Society has identified a range of material that could be used as part of commemorations. The selection of prayers and Psalms will also add gravitas; all are drawn from the 1662 Book of Common Prayer. They come from a variety of Prayer Book services and include from Matins, the Second Collect, For Peace, and from Evensong, the Third Collect, for Aid against all Perils. Perhaps most poignant are the words taken from the service of Evensong, ‘Lighten our darkness, we beseech thee, O Lord’ and the phrase from the Nunc Dimittis, ‘Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace’.
Do get involved and encourage your parish or organisation to use the prayers when it commemorates the sacrifice of so many for the peace we enjoy today.
Prayers and other material you may wish to use.
Prayers for those who served at sea
