St Paul's Cathedral -Evensong

Just got done exploring spitalfield market and Brick Lane ant then took a 45 min stroll to St Paul's cathedral where they have free entrance for Evensong. Sitting directly under the Dome at the moment. From ChatGPT - "Sure! Here’s a concise and engaging way to describe Evensong and its history for your friends back in the U.S.:

⸻

🌅 What Is Evensong?

Evensong is a peaceful, reflective choral service held in the late afternoon or evening in many Anglican cathedrals and churches — most famously at St. Paul’s Cathedral in London. It blends beautiful music, prayer, and scripture into a roughly 45-minute service that feels more like a sacred concert than a sermon.

It’s free, open to all, and offers a chance to experience centuries of English musical and spiritual tradition in a stunning setting.

⸻

🎶 What Happens During the Service?
• The Choir sings most of the service, with very little spoken by the congregation.
• You’ll hear:
• Psalms
• Canticles (songs from scripture like the Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis)
• An anthem
• Short prayers and readings

It’s meant to calm the spirit as day turns into night.

⸻

📜 A Bit of History

Evensong has its roots in monastic prayer traditions going back to the Middle Ages. In the 1500s, after the English Reformation, Thomas Cranmer (Archbishop of Canterbury) simplified the daily cycle of prayers into two services: Morning Prayer and Evening Prayer.

Evensong is a sung version of Evening Prayer — and has been held almost daily for over 400 years in cathedrals like St. Paul’s.

⸻

🇬🇧 Why It’s Special (Especially in London)
• You don’t need to be religious to appreciate it.
• It’s free to attend, even in grand, normally ticketed spaces like St. Paul’s.
• It’s one of the best ways to experience British choral tradition — many choirs are world-renowned.

⸻Read more