News & Events
St Peter’s Church to receive grant
News | May 20, 2014
St Peter's Church in St George will remain open as a tourist attraction after the Bermuda Tourism Authority agreed to provide the historic building with a grant. There were concerns that the church, the oldest surviving Anglican church in continuous use outside the UK, could be forced to close to visitors because of a lack of funds. The attraction is open seven days a week, and pulls in more t... Read more
A great ambassador for St George’s and Bermuda
News | April 7, 2014
Dear Sir, Once more I write to your column, only this time a more happy occasion but sad at the same time. I would like to give recognition to a very special lady. Her name is Edith Clair Spencer from St George's, but was better known as Clair. She sadly passed away recently at 89 years young. In my estimation, Clair Spencer is truly a St George's Icon. Clair for many years was the organist... Read more
St Peter’s Church Bell Blessing Service
News | July 1, 2013
St Peter’s Church, Their Majesties Chappell in St George’s held a service of Sung Evensong on Sunday, June 30, on the occasion of the Blessing of Bells by the Bishop of Bermuda the Rt Rev’d Nicholas Dill. “By very ancient tradition church bells are blessed by a bishop, dedicated to the glory of God and named”, according to the service programme. “When Bermuda artist Emma Joyce [Mit... Read more
An 80th birthday celebrated in style
News | June 29, 2013
The Rev Dr Erskine Simmons got into one of his most magnanimous moods when his 80th birthday began rolling around. So with the support of Michelle, his busy wife — the soon to retire Principal of the Berkeley Institute — they hosted a fabulous 'Help Erskine Celebrate his 80th' party. White Hall, the imposing historic mansion Erskine acquired for his home two decades ago, three-storeys high... Read more
Restoration underway, but church will remain unfinished
News | June 7, 2013
Staff from Works and Engineering have in recent weeks been working to restore the Unfinished Church, which suffered “substantial deterioration” due to weathering. Former St George’s Mayor Henry Hayward said: “It got so bad it was actually a danger to visitors and tourists and we had the close to gate so they wouldn’t go in there.” The site was closed to the public in late 2010, ... Read more
St Peter’s Church marks Queen’s Coronation anniversary
News | June 1, 2013
Tomorrow marks the 60th anniversary of the Coronation of her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II, and Their Majesties Chappell, St Peter’s Church, will be celebrating that event with a special service in lieu of its regular morning services. “We felt that since the Queen gave us the title last year, it would be mean spirited not to do so,” explained Maj Rev David Raths, who serves as the rector.... Read more
Regiment ADCs honoured in thanksgiving service
News | May 27, 2013
Around 100 people attended a special ceremony at St Peter’s Church yesterday to mark 40 years of service by Bermuda Regiment officers to governors of Bermuda. Governor George Fergusson thanked all those who had served as aide-de-camp — the military right-hand man to governors — over the past four decades. The first Bermudian ADC, retired Major Alvin Daniels, who took up the post i... Read more
Bishop of London calls St Peter’s founding a ‘significant step’ in the development of Christianity
News | November 19, 2012
The Bishop of London, the Rt Rev Richard Chartres, was on the Island this weekend to celebrate the 400th anniversary of the founding of St Peter’s Church. The church is possibly the oldest continually used Protestant church in the Western hemisphere, and believed to be the oldest surviving Anglican church outside of the British Isles. “It is an extraordinary beginning, because, of cours... Read more
Hundreds of years overdue, but historic moment arrives as Bishop of London visits St George’s church
News | November 19, 2012
The Bishop of London Richard Chartres, currently in Bermuda at Queen Elizabeth II’s request, delivered a letter from the Queen to Governor George Fergusson while at St Peter’s Their Majesties Chappell yesterday morning for a special service celebrating his visit. The Bishop told the congregation that his visit was overdue, as Bermuda’s Anglican Church was overseen by the Bishop of London... Read more
Thomas sees silver lining in sailing voyage
News | November 14, 2012
The Queen officially bestowed St Peter's Church with the title 'Their Majesties Chappell' earlier this year. The credit for the name change goes to Thomas Sinsteden, a retired Irish physician with a passion for Irish silver. His quiet research led St Peter's renaming in March, and a highly anticipated visit from Bishop of London Rt Rev Richard Chartres this weekend. “I started to colle... Read more