Catholic service to be held in King Henry VIII's chapel for first time in 500 years

The service is designed to celebrate the music played in the chapel at Hampton Court Palace

Hampton Court Palace

A Roman Catholic service is to be held in Hampton Court Palace’s chapel for the first time in nearly five centuries, according to a report.

Hampton Court was one of King Henry VIII’s favourite palaces and he worshipped in the then-Catholic Chapel Royal with Catherine of Aragon before his desire for a divorce saw him split with Rome and create the Church of England.

But next month Cardinal Vincent Nichols, the Catholic Archbishop of Westminster, will hold a Catholic service of vespers, sung mainly in Latin, for the first time since the 16^th century, The Daily Telegraph reported. He will be joined by the Rt Rev Richard Chartres, the Anglican Bishop of London, for the service which is designed to celebrate the music played in the chapel.

The idea for the service came from the Choral Foundation, a music charity based at the Chapel Royal, and the Genesis Foundation, an arts charity.

John Studzinski, founder of the Genesis Foundation, said: “Dialogue between faiths is much needed and welcomed in these turbulent times.

“We need to recognise that we have more in common than not… it [the service] will be an unforgettable occasion and is genuinely one for the history books.”

Tickets for the service will be made available through a public ballot.