Manitoba honours King with coronation day service, salute

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This article was published 06/05/2023 (856 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The sounds of prayer, reverence and song reverberated through St. John’s Anglican Cathedral Saturday afternoon, as more than 200 people gathered beneath the vaulted ceilings and stained-glass windows to join the Commonwealth in honouring King Charles III on the day of his coronation.

“King Charles has a long relationship with Canada… He has witnessed decades of Canada’s social economic cultural and constitutional change,” Manitoba Lt.-Gov. Anita Neville said, addressing the crowd of parishioners, monarchists and Indigenous and religious leaders.

“We have the good fortune to live in a nation that embraces our evolving identity while maintaining our connection to history.”

Neville, who became Manitoba’s viceregal in October, met Charles for the first time last week, when she visited the King at Buckingham Palace. She described the experience as “surreal.”

She went on to detail Charles’ numerous visits to Canada and Manitoba, including most recently in 2014, when he spent roughly 27 hours in Winnipeg during a national tour.

St. John’s Rev. Paul Johnson, Rabbi Aníbal Mass and Robert-Falcon Ouellette shared prayers, lessons and songs as the service progressed. Among the dignitaries stood Mayor Scott Gillingham, Opposition Leader Wab Kinew and Manitoba Liberal Leader Dougald Lamont.

Premier Heather Stefanson attended the event.

She released a statement following the ceremony to congratulate Charles and Queen Camilla.

Manitobans are proud to see the pair ascend the throne and are confident he will act with confidence, determination and dedication in the role, she said.

“This is very significant. It is maybe the only coronation I will see in my lifetime and I was up at 5 a.m. this morning to watch it on TV. To come this afternoon is just the icing on the cake,” said parishioner Marlene Janzen, who has attended the Anglican cathedral for more than 20 years.

The church, located at 135 Anderson Ave., has a deep roots to the British monarchy Janzen said, noting a large, stained-glass window on the building’s south side which depicts the likeness of Queen Elizabeth.

“I think (Charles) is a progressive thinking guy, and I’m thinking he will move things in a different direction, which I think is a good thing.”

“Some people are anti-monarchist, others are pro-monarchist, I think it’s just nice to have a moderating influence on a world that’s become so divisive,” added her husband, Vic Janzen, also a long-standing parishioner.

Other events held in Winnipeg included a flag-raising ceremony and a gun salute on the grounds of the Manitoba legislature. Throughout the weekend, the legislative building is to be illuminated in emerald green, consistent with other landmarks across the country.

Daniel Guenther, co-chair of the Manitoba branch of the Monarchist League of Canada, was on the ground in London, England, Saturday morning when Charles was crowned at Westminster Abbey. The scale of the event was astounding, with hundreds of thousands of spectators converging on the city, he said.

“It was quite spectacular,” he said, speaking by phone. “The atmosphere was just absolutely electric. It was really nice to see so many people… coming together to take part in the celebrations.”

Guenther was among 28 Monarchist League members who travelled to London for the coronation. He stood on The Mall (the road connecting Trafalgar Square and Buckingham Palace) as the King’s procession rode past.

By his estimation, Canadians formed the largest contingent of foreign visitors among the crowd.

“It was even more exciting to hear the crowd erupt in applause. My ears were actually ringing when the carriage went by,” he said. “It was something very, very special and historic to see — something not everybody gets to see in their lifetime.”

The King will face lofty expectations from Canadians as he moves forward in his role, particularly when it comes to reconciliation.

Guenther pointed to Charles’ historical support for environmental causes and recent efforts to connect with Indigenous leaders as evidence he is committed to meeting the challenge.

“This is a really optimistic time to look forward to the renewal of this relationship. To be able to have a more positive and equitable future for all communities in Canada. That’s what the celebrations are really about,” he said.

Guenther expects Charles will visit Canada for the first time as King sometime soon. He hopes Winnipeg will be on the list of stops.

“As we know, the coronation is just kicking things off. There are many celebrations to come,” he said.

tyler.searle@freepress.mb.ca