Dr Rowan Williams anticipates a ‘profoundly joyful event’ in the royal wedding The Archbishop of Canterbury is to refer to the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton in his Christmas Day sermon and say the Christian bond of marriage is a symbol of hope.
Dr Rowan Williams will describe the event as a “cause for celebration”.
He will also speak of the importance of mutual dependence, fellowship and loyalty in current economic times.
He will stress the need to share the burdens of adversity as some people face testing times in the downturn.
Dr Williams will say: “Faced with the hardship that quite clearly lies ahead for so many in the wake of financial crisis and public spending cuts, how far are we able to sustain a living sense of loyalty to each other, a real willingness to bear the load together?
“How eager are we to find some spot where we feel safe from the pressures that are crippling and terrifying others?
The service at Canterbury Cathedral takes place at 1100 GMT.
On the royal wedding he will say: “Next year, we shall be joining in the celebration of what we hope will be a profoundly joyful event in the royal wedding.
“It is certainly cause for celebration that any couple, let alone this particular couple, should want to embark on the adventure of Christian marriage, because any and every Christian marriage is a sign of hope, since it is a sign and sacrament of God’s own committed love.”
And referring to Prime Minister David Cameron’s “Big Society” idea, Dr Williams will urge people to work positively together to rebuild trust.
“If we are ready, if we are all ready, to meet the challenge represented by the language of the ‘Big Society’, we may yet restore some mutual trust,” he will say.
“It’s no use being cynical about this. Whatever we call the enterprise, the challenge is the same – creating confidence by sharing the burden of constructive work together.”
Dr Williams will go on to ask urge people to remember Christians around the world, including in Zimbabwe and Iraq, who “suffer repression and persecution” for their faith.
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