1/ January 30th is coming, and it will be the first January 30th since the 1662 International Edition was published. Some users will turn to their calendar and be appalled that it does not list Charles, King & Martyr. (Others may be pleased!) What's going on?
2/ When it was published, the 1662 Book of Common Prayer included state services, as well as the commemoration of King Charles I. In the 19th century, the English state services were removed, as was the commemoration of King Charles.
3/ Because the International Edition is meant for use in all polities, not just England, it follows the custom from the last 150 years of not printing the state services or the commemoration of King Charles. This is consistent with having state prayers that work in all nations.
4/ And just as different nations have different rulers, they may also have different martyrs who are important in their own history. That's why the appendix of additional prayers includes prayers "For the Feast of a National Martyr" and "For a Day of National Commemoration."
5/ Those prayers are on page 713. The prayer for the feast of a national martyr is--you guessed it--the prayer traditionally used in commemorating King Charles (though with a blank to fill in the name). The prayer for a day of national commemoration is from the Ghana BCP 1960.
Share this Scrolly Tale with your friends.
A Scrolly Tale is a new way to read Twitter threads with a more visually immersive experience.
Discover more beautiful Scrolly Tales like this.