22 January 2024

Denmark: New church prayer for the King and the royal house

Last week I wrote about Lovtidende (Danish Legal gazette) announcements related to King Frederik's accession to the Danish throne.

I have now been informed that the king during the Council of State of 14 January 2024 also decided on the new church prayer for the king and the royal house. Circulars are apparently not announced in Lovtidende, which is why I was not made aware of it. Anyway, Cirkulære om kirkebønnen for Kongen og det kongelige hus (CIR1H no. 9009 of 14 January 2024), Circular concerning the church prayer for the King and the royal house, was published at Retsinformation.dk, the Danish legal information system, on 15 January 2024.

The circular, which was addressed to bishops, deans, priests and parochial church councils, informs that «der skal bedes for Kong Frederik den Tiende, Dronning Mary, Kronprins Christian, Dronning Margrethe og hele det kongelige hus, når navne nævnes i den anordnede kirkebøn.» («one should pray for King Frederik the Tenth, Queen Mary, Crown Prince Christian, Queen Margrethe and the whole royal house when names are to be mentioned in the ordered church prayer»).

By the said royal resolution Cirkulære om kirkebønnen for Dronningen og det kongelige hus (CIR1H no. 9067 of 15 February 2018), Circular concerning the church prayer for the Queen and the royal house, was repealed. The latter circular – «der skal bedes for Dronning Margrethe II, Kronprins Frederik, Kronprinsesse Mary og hele det kongelige hus» («one should pray for Queen Margrethe II, Crown Prince Frederik, Crown Princess Mary and the whole royal house when names are to be mentioned in the ordered church prayer») – came about when Prince Henrik had died and his name was left out of the church prayer. The circular of 2018 repealed the circular of 17 May 2004 by which the name of the then Crown Princess Mary, née Mary Donaldson, was added following her marriage to Crown Prince Frederik.

I heard new church prayer for the first time yesterday when I watched the broadcast of the celebratory church cervice at Aarhus Cathedral.

Corrected on Monday 22 February 2024 at 22:25 (link corrected).

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