As people around the world watch news of the birth of Kate Middleton and Prince William's baby boy, the priests and parishioners of Westminster Abbey, the Anglican church where the royal couple was married, are taking celebrations to another level.
Church bells will ring consecutively for three hours and fifteen minutes to observe the new arrival, for whom the 600 worshippers said prayers on Monday evening while the Middleton was still in labor. A ten-person team -- with substitutes in case of sickness or fatigue -- will helm the bells for a full peal in a method of ringing called the Cambridge Surprise Royal. In city squares around the United Kingdom, churches are also ringing their bells.
"This is a time when the example of a royal baby focuses the attention on the importance of every baby and child," said the Rev. John Hall, the dean of the abbey who officiated at the couple's wedding. "It's a time of looking forward, of great hope. The truth is that every birth is a sign of new hope and new life, but the birth of this baby brings joy throughout the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth and many other places, including the United States."
The young boy, not even a day old, is now the third person in the line of succession to be the King of England, after his father and Prince Charles, his grandfather. The church, which prays for Queen Elizabeth II and her husband, the Duke of Edinburgh, by name at every service and prays in broad terms for the royal family, "shall include the baby in our prayers," said Hall.
In religious terms, one of the biggest moments in the new child's life will come within a few months, when he is christened. The Archbishop of Canterbury, the Rev. Justin Welby, is expected to perform the christening, which typically takes place three-to-six months after birth. William's christening was held in the Music Room at Buckingham Palace, while the christening for his brother, Prince Harry, was held at St. George's Chapel in Windsor Castle.
"Christen is a term we use that's similar to baptism. In other words, the child will be initiated as a Christian through a ceremony which goes back in time to when Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist in the River Jordan. We conceive it as entering into Christ," said Hall, who will not take part in the ceremony. "It's not a matter of washing but a matter of dying into ourselves and rising into Christ. We go into the water's baptism and come up as a new creation in Christ. We become a member of the body of Christ of the church."
At the christening, royal children usually wear a satin and lace gown that's a replica of one that was used for the occasion when Queen Victoria's oldest daughter was christened in 1841. Hall said the family usually decides when to have a christening, and that for royal children it is typically a private event.
Kate Middleton arrives with her father, Michael Middleton, at Westminster Abbey.
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Pippa Middleton arrives with the flowers girls and page boys at Westminster Abbey.
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Kate having her dress adjusted.
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Prince William and Kate at the altar during their wedding ceremony.
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Prince William and Kate at their wedding ceremony at Westminster Abbey.
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The couple exchanging rings at their ceremony.
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Prince William and Kate leaving Westminster Abbey after the wedding service.
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Prince Philip shakes hands with the Dean of Westminster John upon arrival at Westminster Abbey.
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Prince Harry and Prince William greet a guest while waiting for the arrival of Kate.
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Prince Charles kisses the hand of his mother, Queen Elizabeth, before his son's wedding ceremony.
(AFP photo)
Flower girls and page boys arrive at the Royal Wedding.
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Florists deliver flowers and plants to Westminster Abbey in preparation for the Royal Wedding.
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Florists deliver flowers and plants to Westminster Abbey in preparation for the Royal Wedding
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Staff dress the balcony at Buckingham Palace ahead of the Royal Wedding.
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A worker makes the final preparations on the balcony of Buckingham Palace.
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Police Security during the Royal Wedding.
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A horse, without a rider, gallops along the Processional Route during the Royal Wedding.
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Guests arrive at the wedding ceremony.
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Pippa Middleton and Eliza Lopez on their way to the ceremony.
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Ceremonial guards perform near Buckingham Palace.
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Flower girl Margarita Armstrong-Jones waives on her way to the ceremony.
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Prince William holds Kate's hand after their wedding service.
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Queen Elizabeth sheds a tear after the wedding of her grandson, Prince William.
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Prince Harry and James Middleton follow Prince William after the Royal Wedding ceremony.
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Prince William and Kate traveling along the Processional Route.
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Pippa Middleton leaving the wedding ceremony.
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Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip leaving the Royal Wedding.
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A band of the Queen's guard perform in the Mall on the day of the Royal Wedding.
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Prince Charles, Camilla and Carole Middleton arrive at Buckingham Palace after the wedding ceremony.
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Prince William and Kate arrive at Buckingham Palace.
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Prince William and Kate arrive at Buckingham Palace after their wedding ceremony.
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Prince William and Kate arrive at Buckingham Palace after their wedding.
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Kate arrivals at Buckingham Palace after her wedding to greet her guests.
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Details of Kate's engagement ring and flowers.
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Details of Kate's wedding and engagement rings.
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Kate bends down to talk to a flower girl from the balcony of Buckingham Palace.
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Fans watch Prince William and Kate kissing on a giant screen in Trafalgar Square in central London.
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Royal Wedding fans dress for the occasion.
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Chefs putting the final touches on the Royal Wedding Cake.
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Cake designer Fiona Cairns standing in front of the Royal Wedding cake she designed.
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The Royal Wedding cake.
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Prince William and Kate leave in Prince Charles' vintage Aston Martin DB6 Volante.
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The couple leaving Buckingham Palace.
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The couple leaving Buckingham Palace.
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More fans dress-up for the celebration.
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Commemorative Royal Wedding serviettes and plates.
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Soliders in Lashkar Gah, Afghanistan celebrating the Royal Wedding.
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Children waving British flags during the Royal Wedding.
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Kate and Camilla leaving to travel to Buckingham Palace for the wedding reception.
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Prince William and Kate leave Clarence House for Buckingham Palace.
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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/07/22/royal-baby-religion_n_3636372.html
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