On Monday 11th November 1918, the treaty known as the Armistice of Compiègne came into effect, ending hostilities between the Allies and Germany. The agreement ended four years of conflict involving 70 million military personnel worldwide at the cost of more than 18 million lives.
To help churches mark this, the Church of England have produced prayers, hymns and published liturgy.
They include a prayer to say when visiting a war grave, a prayer of commitment to peace and recommended Bible readings.
The Bishop of Lambeth, Tim Thornton, Bishop to Her Majesty’s Forces, told Premier why it was important to remember the war in churches in particular.
“What happened in World War One was atrocious and horrific, so many people lost their lives in so many different countries and it’s very important we remember these things, partly because we need to say ‘sorry’ to God for what happened but also to say ‘Thanks be to God’ for those people who did sacrifice their lives in such an extraordinary way,” he said.
“But also actually, as Christians, we need to say to God ‘How can we learn something from these things?’ and ‘How can we move forward?’ and so remembering it’s not something that just happened in the past but something that very much can shape our present and our future.”
Speaking on how World War One can feel very distant to many people, Bishop Tim said: “That, for me, is…
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