THE 80th anniversary of VE — Victory in Europe — Day, on 8 May, will be “a time to remember with deep gratitude the courage and sacrifice of those who fought for the freedoms we enjoy today”, the Bishop of St Germans and Bishop for the Armed Forces, the Rt Revd Hugh Nelson, has said.
Last month, the Government announced that the anniversary of what Winston Churchill called “a brief period of rejoicing”, as the Second World War continued in the Far East, would be marked over four days, beginning on Bank Holiday Monday, with a military procession, and concluding on Thursday with a service of “celebration and remembrance” in Westminster Abbey (News 5 March).
On Friday, it was confirmed that the King and Queen would attend, alongside the Prince and Princess of Wales. The service, at noon, is to be broadcast on BBC1. Afterwards, the King and Queen are to appear on the balcony of Buckingham Palace for a flypast, before hosting a tea party for war veterans. Street parties are encouraged through the week.
On Monday, a statement from Church House, Westminster, confirmed further plans, including coordinated church bell-ringing, prayers for peace, and an invitation to light a virtual candle on the Church of England website.
“Events will offer an opportunity for reflection, remembrance, and a renewed commitment to peace, echoing the spirit of unity that defined the end of the Second World War in Europe,” the statement said.
At 6.30 p.m. on VE Day, bells will ring out from churches and cathedrals, “echoing the sounds that swept across the country in 1945 . . . as a collective act of thanksgiving”. The national ringing initiative is supported by the Central Council of Church Bell Ringers and the Association of English Cathedrals.
Bishop Nelson continued: “In an increasingly dangerous world, I encourage all our churches to participate in these commemorations, to ring their bells, to offer prayers for peace, and to provide spaces for their communities to come together in remembrance. As we honour the past, so we renew our commitment to building a more peaceful and just world for all.”
Cathedral Chapters, including those of St Albans, Carlisle, Durham, and Truro, have announced plans to mark the anniversary, including commemorative services of choral evensong on Thursday evening, celebratory lunches, and floodlighting in red, white, and blue.
Wells Cathedral has opened a new knitting exhibition, “The Longest Yarn 2”, featuring 15 panels of knitted and crocheted scenes of Britain in wartime, organised by Tansy Forster. It follows “The Longest Yarn”, an exhibition of knitted scenes of the D-Day Landings, which was displayed in Southwell Minster last year (News, 7 June 2024), and then in Peterborough Cathedral.
On Sunday, a plaque will be dedicated in St John’s, East Dulwich, in south London, in memory of the Revd Charles Mckenzie, the Vicar who oversaw the rebuilding of the church after it was destroyed by bombing during the Second World War.
The Bishop of Woolwich, the Rt Revd Alastair Cutting, and the family of Fr McKenzie will attend the dedication service. Fr McKenzie’s children, John and Mary, said in a statement: “We are delighted that our father’s contribution to the rebuilding of St John’s is being recognised. For us and the wider family, it is also wonderful for his life and work to be permanently commemorated on this new plaque.”
St John’s was consecrated on 16 May 1865, and was almost completely destroyed during the Blitz. Throughout the war, the church continued its ministry without a building, instead using air-raid shelters and hospitals, and maintaining worship services in a church hall.
In 1946, Fr McKenzie oversaw the plans to rebuild it, and the restored church was rededicated in 1951.
The current Vicar, the Revd Gillian O’Neill, said: “It’s an honour to celebrate his contribution this year as we mark the anniversary of VE Day, and to give thanks for our community’s story of hope and resilience following the devastation of the war.”