On 6th December 1964, Dr Martin Luther King Jr preached to a packed St Paul’s Cathedral. On a flying visit on his way to Norway to collect his Nobel Peace Prize, he addressed a congregation of 4,000 people on The Three Dimensions of a Complete Life, providing the British public with a rare opportunity to hear him in person. Afterwards he gave a press conference in the Cathedral’s Chapter House about race relations in the UK.
As part of the programme to mark the 60th anniversary of this historic visit, The Revd Dr Catherine Okoronkwo will preach at the 3pm Service of Choral Evensong on 8th December 2024.
The Revd Dr Catherine Okoronkwo was recently appointed by His Majesty the King as Residentiary Canon and Steward of St Paul’s Cathedral. As Canon Steward, Catherine will be responsible for the stewardship of people and resources at the Cathedral.
The words and music of the anthem, “Three Dimensions”, have been commissioned by the Chapter of St Paul’s Cathedral to mark the 60th anniversary of Dr Martin Luther King’s sermon in St Paul’s on 6th December 1964.
Three Dimensions (2024), which honours the 1964 visit by Dr Martin Luther King Jr to St Paul’s Cathedral, is Rommi Smith’s fifth collaboration, as writer, with Roderick Williams, as composer. Not Yet Here (2020) is their response to Beethoven’s To My Love Afar Off; Forever? (2023) is a twenty-first century meditation upon the public meaning(s) of the hymn Amazing Grace; Cusp (2024) is a contemporary response to Elgar/Newman’s The Dream of Gerontius and was commissioned by the Bach Choir; and The Blacke Songs (2024), which voices the stories of three Black cultural figures of the Tudor period, including the royal trumpeter John Blanke.
What can I expect?
This service is led by the choir, who sing responses, canticles, an anthem, and the psalms set for the day on our behalf, allowing us to experience the beauty of the music in this iconic setting. There are some readings from the Bible, and prayers are said for the Church, the World and ourselves.
There is occasionally a sermon on a feast day, and a hymn may be sung. You do not have to familiar with the service – when you enter, you can pick up an easy-to-follow order of service, which will guide you through each part. Visit our guidance on attending services at St Paul's for more information on what to expect.