a short history
The origin of the crown and coronation is ancient and became popular in Europe during the Early Middle Ages. In the Roman Empire, Constantine the Great introduced the practice of wearing a tiara (a decorative crown), and Emperor Julian was carried on a shield by soldiers. Christian coronation rites later developed in the Byzantine Empire, and in Western Europe the Carolingian Franks added consecration to them. Coronation services were usually performed by a political leader or member of the clergy, such as a prominent local bishop or even by the Pope. Coronations went through standardization, development and change in the Middle Ages and gradually declined in the modern period.
What is this event
The British crown is the only surviving European monarchy that retains the coronation, although Asian and African countries still follow it. Other active monarchies have coronation (such as Japan and Luxembourg) or accession (such as Spain and Sweden) ceremonies that are secular or religious in nature. Coronations, which are still held in England, are associated with the theology of kingship. The king is given a divine and religious obligation according to the Old Testament, like the Israelite kings Saul, David, and Solomon. Over time, European coronation rules changed and focused primarily on law and people, rather than divine obligations. The British coronation retains all these elements.
what is religious significance
The coronation of the British monarch is a religious event. It presents the politico-religious vision of the British state as a union of nations and peoples under God. Under the traditions of the coronation, the consecration is said to bestow God’s grace on the emperor to become a living sign of God’s mercy, justice and love in the world. In this the emperor is not divine or absolute in power, but dependent on the sovereignty and power of God. Thus, God enables the Emperor to exercise his position as Jesus Christ and in a relationship with Him in selfless service, duty, and love.
Here, the emperor becomes an anointed symbol (sacrament) that conveys the meaning of life, community, and faith in his personality as Christ’s special mediator. This symbolic power is deep and primal, as demonstrated by Queen Elizabeth II’s reverence for her body upon her death. The coronation ceremony highlights the Christian-state relationship that remains at the heart of the British polity.
Coronation of Charles III
Given the importance of the tradition to British society, the founding status of the Church of England, and Charles’ own personal faith, the rite of the coronation would remain largely the same. Like Elizabeth’s, the ritual will be Anglican in format, though probably streamlined from what we saw in 1953. We can also expect it to include ecumenical (affiliated with other Christian churches) and inter-religious elements to which Charles and the recent British monarchs have become more sensitive. In short, the coronation will present a vision of a British monarchy that represents loving service, loyalty and duty to God, tradition and diverse peoples and nations.