Ndukuba, laing remember Queen Elizabeth II as ‘defender of protestant faith’

The Primate, Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), His Grace, Most Rev. Henry Ndukuba, has described the late Queen Elizabeth II as a “defender of the protestant faith,” whose personal belief in Jesus Christ guided her all through her life as an English monarch.

The Primate made this known during his sermon at a Service of Remembrance for the late Queen of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, held recently at the Cathedral Church of the Advent, Life Camp, Abuja, during the Standing Committee of the Church. He said that the late Queen’s many Christmas and other messages to the nation demonstrated her personal commitment to the rich inheritance of faith in God.

According to him, ‘’her convictions on marriage, morality and the dignity of human life are rooted in the Scriptures, yet she accommodated and respected other faiths and peoples. She indeed fought a good fight of faith till the very end.”

Eulogising the late monarch in the special service attended by members of the House of Bishops, clergy and laity, Ndukuba recounted how the Queen publicly declared her devotion to Jesus Christ at her accession to the throne 70 years ago.

‘’Queen Elizabeth II shall be remembered for being indeed a defender of the Protestant faith, which she swore at her Accession to the throne. She was a believer in Jesus Christ and this personal faith guided her all through her life. At her coronation when she processed into the Church, she first went to the high altar to kneel in prayer and personally surrendered her life to God before she came down to the pomp and pageantry of the coronation.

‘’Her message on August 3, 2022 expressed this clearly when she said ‘throughout my life the message and teachings of Christ have been my guide and in them, I find hope. If this were her public speech indeed, she, like a soldier of Christ Jesus, fought the good fight of faith. She, like an athlete, has run the race to the finishing line and has kept the faith. If Christ and God’s word be her hope then there is the great and glorious reward of the crown of righteousness that awaits her,’’ he said.

The cleric noted further that: ‘’As a young princess she pledged to spend her whole life serving the people whether that life be long or short. Indeed, God blessed her with longevity and she was the hallmark of humility, patience and dedicated service to the citizens of Britain and the whole world, till the very last breath of her life she remained resolute in her service.

‘’Queen Elizabeth II was steadfast, consistent to Britain, the Commonwealth and to the world leaders in the most difficult periods of history, wars, economic recessions and political instabilities. She was a guiding light and a measure of stability. She was indeed the matriarch of modern Great Britain. Always calm and unruffled by challenges be them personal, national or international. She lived a purposeful and fulfilled life of service to her kingdom and to the world.’’

He said: ‘’The real issue is where you shall be when this life is ended. Hebrews 9 verse 27 says, ‘it is appointed for men to die once, but after this comes the judgment of God.’’ He prayed that ‘God will raise the late Queen Elizabeth II at the coming of Jesus Christ.’’

The British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Catriona Laing, who led members of staff of the Commission to the Service, commended the Primate and the Church for honouring the late Queen and identifying with people of the United Kingdom in their period of mourning.   

She said: ‘’We share a common heritage in the Anglican faith and as we heard in the sermon, Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II was the defender of that faith.”

The High Commissioner recounted her previous audience with the Queen as her representative to Nigeria, where she spoke so fondly of her two visits to Nigeria in 1956 and 2003.

‘’King Charles III also has great interests in Nigeria and has visited and will visit again,’’ she said. The Archbishop of Jos Province and Bishop of Yola Diocese, Markus Ibrahim, and Bishop Stephen Fagbemi of Owo Diocese led intercessory prayers for the new King and the late Queen, while the Cathedral choir ministered in hymns and a special anthem.
• Tpl Queen Phillips is the Diocesan communicator, Diocese of Abuja (Anglican Communion)