The bell of St Patrick’s Church of Ireland Cathedral in Armagh tolled 96 times to mark the passing of Queen Elizabeth II at the age of 96.
The Very Reverend Shane Forster, Dean of Armagh, spoke to Armagh I.
He said: “Today there’s a quiet sense of disbelief at the death of Her Majesty the Queen. As people realise they are waking up to a new era. The Queen’s death has marked the end of the second Elizabethan era, and we begin a new way of living without her.
“She has been a constant in all of our lives, a familiar figure even though many have not had the opportunity to meet her. But her image on our television screens, on our money, on our stamps has been a constant down through the years.
“I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to meet her, at the Maundy service here back in 2008 and again in Enniskillen in 2012. And I was to have welcomed her here to the centenary service last October, but sadly, her health didn’t permit her to be here at that time.
“I can say that, with honesty, she was a person of great faith, that even the preparations for that service, she wanted to be here, not so much as the head of state, but offering prayerful support for the well being and peaceful future of everyone living here in Northern Ireland.
“So our thoughts and prayers are with King Charles today and with the whole royal family. And like any family who are going through a time of grief and mourning, our thoughts and prayers are with them. We pray that God will strengthen them and support them and grant them His peace now and in the days to come.”
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