Christ is Made the Sure Foundation
Christ is Made the Sure Foundation is a Christian hymn, translated in 1851 by John Mason Neale from the second part of the 6th or 7th century Latin monastic hymn Urbs beata Jerusalem.[1][2]
Christ is Made the Sure Foundation | |
---|---|
Year | 1851 |
Genre | Hymn |
Written | John Mason Neale |
Meter | 8.7.8.7.8.7 |
Melody | "Westminster Abbey" by Henry Purcell, or "Regent Square" by Henry Smart. |

While originally an unaccompanied plainsong melody, the hymn is now commonly sung to either the tune of Westminster Abbey, adapted from the final section of Henry Purcell's anthem O God, thou art my God; or the tune of Regent Square, composed by Henry Smart. The texts of modern versions of the hymn vary substantially from Neale's original translations.[1][3]
The hymn was sung during the marriage ceremonies of Princess Margaret and Antony Armstrong-Jones in 1960, and Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer in 1981,[4][5] and was the opening hymn of the Queen's Platinum Jubilee service in St Paul's Cathedral on 3 June 2022.[6] It was also sung during the funeral proceedings of Elizabeth II, at St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle on 19 September 2022.[7]
References
- Hawn, C. Michael (23 July 2015). "History of Hymns: "Christ Is Made the Sure Foundation"". Discipleship Ministries. Retrieved 12 August 2020.
- Neale, JM (1867). Mediæval Hymns and Sequences. Urbs beata Jerusalem.
- "Christ Is Made the Sure Foundation". Hymnary.org. Retrieved 13 August 2020.
- Marriage of HRH Princess Margaret with Mr Antony Armstrong-Jones (PDF) (Order of service), 6 May 1960, p. 3
- Marriage of Charles Prince of Wales with Lady Diana Spencer (PDF) (Order of service), 29 July 1981, p. 5, archived from the original (PDF) on 7 January 2022
- "In full: The order of service for the Queen's Platinum Jubilee service of thanksgiving". The Telegraph. London. 3 June 2022. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 3 June 2022.
- Hughes, David (19 September 2022). "The music at the Queen's funeral will tell the story of both the monarchy and the monarch". inews.co.uk. Retrieved 19 September 2022.