Evensong at St Johns College

Walk through the gateway, into St Johns College, one of two colleges founded in the early 16th century by Lady Margaret Beaufort, mother of King Henry VII.

...pass below the arms of the college, with its mythical beasts called yales (with the head of a goat, the body of an antelope, and the tail of an elephant)...

..and head with us into the chapel, behind this impressive stone exterior...

Last week we ventured out to attend Evensong at St John’s College Chapel. Though not as well known as their King’s College counterparts, the choir at St John’s is also an excellent choir. The choir here is formed from boys who attend a dedicated choristers School run by the College, and also from older students who are attending Cambridge University.

Evensong at St John’s followed the order of the Book of Common Prayer, with sung psalms, the Magnificat, sung prayers, an anthem and a hymn. The college of St John’s pride themselves on the distinctive style of their choir, believing that the training undertaken produces a unique and beautiful sound. Whether they or truly unique is hard for a layperson like me to judge; certainly they sang beautifully.

The chapel of St John’s was rebuilt in 1869, on the site of a much smaller 13th chapel. The architectural effect is still predominantly mediaeval or Tudor rather than Victorian. Perhaps something of the spirit of the 13th century chapel lingered on the night we were there, but the shape of the interior building and the atmospheric and unobtrusive lighting created a space that was austere and aweful. Once the ethereal voices of the choir began to fill the space, this effect was intensified.

For me, sitting down in the rather uncomfortable wooden pews that faced each other across the chapel floor, this evensong evoked an understanding of what it might have been like to worship in mediaeval times.

In my mind’s eye I could see the spirits of those who had founded the early colleges of Cambridge, the monks, the kings, the queens and the wealthy benefactors entering a chapel such as this to worship. In this moment I caught something of the sense of piety and true belief that most of these worshippers would have possessed. Despite their manifold failings which included treachery, political manoeuvering, the promotion of war and a variety of immoral behaviour, most of these men and women of power were in fact, quite religious, something which is not always easy for us to understand today.

The daily prayer, the weekly confessions, and the churches and monastries they founded and funded are testament to their true belief in a God who was always watching, and who would not hesitate to punish impious behaviour should the necessary repentance not be shown appropriately.

Most of you reading this would know that John and I are keen family historians. One of the branches of my family that we have researched stretches back to mediaeval times – one actually has his name on the gate of Trinity College next door. Being in St John’s somehow brought these ancestors of mine closer to my 21st century understanding.

I felt St John’s had offered an experience that allowed me a glimpse into a time of simple faith and trust. Surrounded by dimly lit stone and the words of ancient psalms which expressed a gratitude to a God who cared enough to deliver frail humanity, it was easy to forget complex issues of theology and faith and to simply believe.