A special memorial service will be held in Christ Church Cathedral in Oxford to honour the Queen.

A Choral Evensong in Remembrance of Queen Elizabeth II begins at 6pm.

The Bishop of Dorchester, the Rt Revd Gavin Collins, will be in attendance and will be giving the reading.

Canon Precentor Philippa White is officiating at the service and it is yet to be confirmed whether the Bishop of Oxford can be there as he is in the House of Lords today.

Christ Church Cathedral in Oxford has been open from 8am for members of the public to pray, or to pause and reflect.

Churches across the diocese are open for prayer and reflection with flags flying at half-mast.

READ ALSO: Flags flown at half-mast as Oxford mourns death of the Queen

Books of condolence are available in churches for anyone to write a message and light a candle.

Church bells across the county tolled from midday with local churches hosting services of remembrance and civic services on Saturday and Sunday.

Rt Revd Dr Steven Croft, the Bishop of Oxford, said: “The whole nation will be united in mourning for our beloved Queen in the coming days. We will need time to grieve and to share our grief with others.

"We pray at this time for the Queen's family and especially for Charles as he prepares to become King.

"This will be a season for deep reflection in the life of our nation as we look back in thanksgiving and forward in hope.

"As we grieve and pray, we also look forward together in hope to that new and eternal life with God.

"We have prayed through all of our lives: God save the Queen. We now entrust Her Majesty to her Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and commit ourselves afresh to his service and to God's eternal kingdom."

The service will be livestreamed on YouTube – link at oxford.anglican.org/livestream

 

 

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