As the United Kingdom prepares for the coronation of King Charles, new details are emerging about the role that different faith communities will play in the ceremony.
While the event is rooted in Christian traditions, representatives from Jewish, Muslim, Sikh, Buddhist, Hindu, Jain, Bahai, and Zoroastrian communities will also participate in the proceedings. For example, Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, and Sikh members of the House of Lords will hand Charles objects of the royal regalia. Meanwhile, in a noteworthy gesture, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, who is Hindu, will read a passage from St. Paul’s letter to the Colossians, which includes language on the “loving rule of Christ over all people and all things.”
However, the coronation ceremony will present challenges for observant Jews as it falls on Shabbat. Nevertheless, King Charles has invited the Chief Rabbi of Britain, Ephraim Mirvis, to stay at St.James’s palace on Friday night to avoid using electricity to get to the event. Mirvis will also attend an early morning Shabbat service on the way to the coronation. While some members of the Jewish community have expressed disappointment at their inability to fully participate in the event due to the timing, others have already begun preparations to celebrate the occasion in their own way. Some congregations plan to hold ceremonies and services of their own, but a week later, to enable their members to watch the coronation live on TV on the day.
The connection between the coronation ceremony and the Jewish community goes beyond simply accommodating their religious practices. For example, the Imperial Mantle robe that King Charles will wear during the ceremony was first made for George IV in 1821 and will be handed to him by Baroness Merron of Lincoln, a former chief executive of the Board of Deputies of British Jews. Additionally, the King and the soldiers involved will wear at least some pieces stitched by Kashket & Partners, a Jewish family-owned tailoring company that is the main supplier for Britain’s armed forces.
Despite the inclusion of other faith communities, some members of the Jewish community feel that they are not fully represented in the ceremony. The last coronation ceremony held on Shabbat was in 1902, and some members of the Jewish community have expressed disappointment that their traditions and practices were not taken into account when scheduling the event. Others, however, recognize that they are a minority and appreciate the efforts made by King Charles to accommodate their religious practices. Overall, however, it seems that many members of the Jewish community are looking forward to celebrating the coronation in their own way and feel a connection to the event that goes beyond simply religious differences. Photo by Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Wikimedia commons.