St. Mary’s, Bourne St.

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Name: St. Mary’s, Bourne St.
Denomination: Anglican
Address: 30 Bourne Street. SW1W 8JJ

Telephone: 020 7730 2423
Fax: 020 7730 7455
Web Site: http://www.stmarysbournest.com/
Email: Click Here

 

Please visit the website for times of services and details of other events.

St Mary’s Bourne Street carries out a unique mission, both as a parish church on the borders of the City of Westminster and the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, and as a continuing witness to the Catholic tradition within the Church of England.

On the edge of affluent Belgravia, St Mary’s retains a socially mixed character even now, mainly because it has remained a place of traditional Anglo-Catholic worship and teaching, where Christians believe what they pray in their approach to the holiness of the living God. Here many continue to find inspiration and support to live in the light of Christ in contemporary society.

Liturgy

The liturgy at St Mary’s beautifully combines Gregorian chant, Renaissance, Viennese and contemporary sacred music with the majestic language of the Book of Common Prayer. The ceremonial is also richly traditional and, with intelligent preaching, High Mass on Sundays is the highlight of the week for all who attend. The setting may have been beautified by successive generations but it remains strangely simple and peaceful…despite the gentle rumble of the trains underneath.

History

Lord Halifax, churchwarden at the time, involved the parish in the Malines Conversations (1921-25) which began ecumenical dialogue between the Church of England and the Roman Catholic Church. St Mary’s remains a significant focus of prayer for the unity of the Church and represents something of a near point of the Church of England with that of Rome.

Architecture

The church was built quickly and cheaply over a new underground line and dedicated in 1874 in order to minister to those who lived in the surrounding slums. Intended as a servants’ church, St Mary’s quickly attracted a broad cross-section of society so that aristocrats worshipped alongside manual workers.

History

Originally founded by St Paul’s Knightsbridge as a mission chapel to serve the ‘poor’ in 1874, it has became a London shrine for Anglo-Catholic spirituality, with excellent music, liturgy and preaching at the High Mass. As the Bishop of London has written: “I have always loved St Mary’s Bourne Street. It is a church where I can hear the rich language of Cranmer prayed within all the splendour of the Western Rite … “.  Annabel Miller wrote in Time Out: “Another concealed treasure, this is tucked away off a side-street behind Sloane Square.”

It’s famous for being extremely High Anglican, so there are more candles, incense and confessional boxes than in most Roman Catholic churches. The dark, red-brick interior with its statues of the Virgin and lamps hanging from chains feels mysterious and deeply peaceful.

Location

The church is on the junction of Bourne Street & Graham Terrace, just south  of Sloane Square. Nearest Tube: Sloane Square (District and Circle Lines) turn left down the side of the Station (Holbein Place), then first left (Whittaker St), first right into Bourne Street and the church entrance is just on the left. A three minute walk. Victoria Mainline Station and Coach Stations are about 10 minutes walk away

 

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