Services mark C S Lewis Anniversary
The 50th Anniversary of the death of author and Christian apologist CS Lewis was marked with a series of events this November, including two special services in London and Belfast.
Lewis, a Belfast man whose grandfather, the Revd Thomas Hamilton, was a Church of Ireland Rector in the Parish of Dundela died on 22nd November 1963.
His death was largely overshadowed by the assassination of US President John F Kennedy on the same date, but in the ensuing years Lewis has grown in popularity. The Chronicles of Narnia have sold over 100 million copies in almost 50 different languages and Lewis’ apologetic works have been widely read across the world.
On the 50th Anniversary of the author’s death, a memorial stone in his memory was unveiled and dedicated in Poets’ Corner in Westminster Abbey. It is thought that he is the first Belfast writer to be commemorated in this way.
The sermon at the service was given by former Archbishop of Canterbury, Lord Williams of Oystermouth. Among those leading prayers was the Revd Adrian Dorrian, present day Rector of Dundela.
Two days later, St Mark’s Dundela hosted a Civic Service of thanksgiving for CS Lewis using readings from his collected works, coupled with hymns and other musical items including the specially commissioned anthem From Darkness to Light.
Marking the Feast of the Kingship of Christ, the service was entitled He’s the King I tell you. Present at the service were civic representatives including the Her Majesty’s Lord–Lieutenant of the County Borough of Belfast, Dame Mary Peters. Representatives from the Parish and the wider community shared in reading from Lewis’ fiction, his theological writings and his correspondence.
Speaking to the Gazette, the Rector of Dundela, Revd Adrian Dorrian, said “the influence of CS Lewis continues to grow – with blockbuster movies, and an increased influence in his writings.
“It is fitting that his life was celebrated by a series of events including a CS Lewis Festival organised by the East Belfast Partnership. The service at Westminster and our own celebrations in St Mark’s paid tribute to someone who was a gifted writer, a brilliant apologist but above all else a pilgrim on a journey of faith. His example is an encouragement to all of us.”
Pictured below after the service in Westminster Abbey: Mrs Anne Dorrian, Revd Adrian Dorrian, Lord Williams of Oystermouth and Sandy Smith (Photo credit: A N Wilson).