Celebration at last!

by Ruth Stock

I thought in my cynicism that it would be just one more over-organised Anglican liturgical shindig.  And in one sense of course it was.  Being St Paul’s any speech sounds ponderous in that vast echo; and having to choreograph a few thousand people, plus more outside, for a eucharist took quite a bit of genteel rigidity on the part of the bemedalled stewards who marshalled us all.  But what was truly moving was the bit that escaped the organisers.  After 700 or so women priests all ordained in 1994 stood outside on the steps for the obligatory photo with Archbishop Welby we all traipsed in through the great west doors of the Cathedral to a barrage of cheers and applause.  Despite the instruction in the nicely printed order of service to stay nicely seated, the whole congregation stood and clapped, and cheered and whooped and clapped and shouted and cheered and clapped.  For twenty minutes.  While we all filed in.  And kept clapping while we found seats and sorted ourselves out.  It was the most moving celebration of women imaginable, unexpected, unlooked for, unchoreographed.  It brought out many a hankie, including mine.  After that welcome whatever was said seemed almost an anti-climax. 

There were some important things said (an apology from the Archbishop) and done (said Archbishop deaconing for a woman Canon at the main altar) and a truly amazing array of embroidered stoles.  But what I shall remember is the sunshine of our long procession along the bank of the river Thames and up Ludgate Circus to the obvious bewilderment of tourists; serendipitously meeting up with women I hadn’t seen since theological college, then being swirled away from them in the crowd.  But most of all the incredible wall of sound as we entered, echoing off the great dome of St Paul’s for a celebration its builders could never have imagined.  It was, at last, a true celebration of women’s ministry.  One that we couldn’t have twenty years ago.